Learning To Fly
by Rieka De-Volka
Summary: Demolition Boys centric fic, Post 1st season. Trying to adjust to normal life is no easy affair. Particulary when your name is Tala Ivanov, and you tend to attract trouble above anything else. Chapter 25 Up, Cheerful, or Not.
1. Chapter One

**Title:** Learning To Fly.

**Chapter:** I - Eyes.

**Beta:** tsukikami.

**Characters/Pairings:** Demolition Boys Centric, OC and 'canon' pairings.

**Global Rating:** R.

Chapter Rating: PG-13.

**Genre:** Drama, with lines of Angst and Romance.

**Warnings:** Follows after the first season, with elements from the second and the third thrown in for spice. This story supports 'canon pairings' (I.e. Rei/Mariah, Max/Emily, Tyson/Hilary), even though it contains OC pairings.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Beyblade, but I own the plot and the original characters

**Feedback:** Very welcome, please!

**Word Count:** 3 860.

**Summary: **Trying to adjust to normal life is no easy affair. Particularly when your name is Tala Ivanov, and you tend to attract trouble above anything else.

**Author's Notes:** Hello! If you're reading this story for the first time, welcome to the boat, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. If you've been reading this story for a long time, welcome back! Recently, I got a hang of someone who's patient enough to attempt to beta this thoroughly. The first chapter of this story was published on June 16th, 2004 and its fate has been rather troubled ever since. Now, whether you read it on LJ as I slowly upload it revised and corrected, or whether you stumble across the old version at I want to thank you for your patience. Comments and feedback are always welcome, and criticism, serious and otherwise, is strongly encouraged. Now, let's enjoy the ride.

Alright, this fic is a D-Boy centered one. I recently (Summer of 2004) made a trip to Russia and found certain circumstances, social and otherwise, that I'm trying to portrait as I saw them. This madness is especially dedicated to the Sokolov brothers who kindly gave me a place to stay during my visit to their country. Vlad, you're one of a kind brat, Aliosha... stop flirting perv!

_Date of Edit: December 14th, 2006._

* * *

**Learning To Fly.**

_Chapter One: Eyes._

Lies, exaggerated truths and unmasked hatred were things Tala Ivanov had faced more than once in the sixteen years that were his life, and he knew his comrades had faced them too. So when the police officer harshly pushed him into the judgment hall, he gave them the same answer he had give them for years, the look of cool arrogance and collected temper that he knew, flared their nerves immensely. He spoke in a tightly controlled voice, stating clearly what he knew, or what he wanted them to believe he knew. His sentences were closed and short, only long enough to get his point across.

It had been a long day, the next day after the championships. Most of the teams left immediately, satisfied that the _threat_ had been stopped, but not even once stopping to think what would be of the _criminals_. He sighed as he watched Kai walk away, towards his mother's car, looking much older than he should be. A sardonic smile tilted his lips as he crossed eyes with him; a look of resignation met him in the ruby deeps of his friend, matching the one that stirred in his own. Kai sighed one last time, and walked towards the black car waiting for him, not looking back at probably the only person in the whole planet that really cared for him and what was best for him.

And going to live with Katherine Hiwatari was the best for him at the moment, even if it meant not seeing his _brother_ again. Possibly ever. But Tala knew that, deep within himself, Kai knew it too, and somehow it made it more bearable, if only a little.

The redhead then turned his eyes towards the rest of his family. Spencer was sitting in a corner of the room, looking at the snow falling in the window, Ian was looking at his blade, the purple bit beast glowing slightly inside it and Bryan, the biggest of Tala's worries, was resting against a wall, his arms crossed and his chin resting against his chest, locks of pale hair covering his eyes.

Eyes, Tala knew, that held so much resentment and hatred that sometimes it made him flinch when the glare was settled on him. He sighed inwardly, calling his team attention to him, as he pulled his act together. The paper on his right hand was practically burning him, and with a new sigh, he prepared to give them the news.

"It's over," he told them, sitting on a couch with a dejected gesture, "It's just... over." He shrugged, lifting the paper for them to see. "Kai's gone to Kat's; the rest of the kids sent to Yaroslav, Boris and Voltair... well you know. And..." He trailed off.

"And us?" Spencer asked firmly, voicing their thoughts.

"Siberia," Tala looked up, blue eyes looking frozen in silent indignation, "A god-forgotten 'Rehabilitation Center', since they think we can be _saved._" The tone of his voice made it clear he didn't like the news a bit.

"Of course they would," Ian said rather acidly, rolling his red eyes in distaste, "And I suppose we must pretend to feel honored for this great opportunity."

Tala sighed again.

"Could have been worse," Spencer pointed out rather resignedly, "Boris and Voltair... _well_."

"Sometimes Sokolov, death's just better." Bryan intoned quietly, pushing himself from the wall and walking towards the door. He stopped to regard his team with an unnerving glare and spoke with such hatred, that they shivered inwardly. "Move. The sooner we go, the sooner we get this over with." And without waiting for them, he walked out of the waiting room, pretending he didn't noticed the guards glaring at him, or the half concealed guns in their coats.

He had been sold.

Again.

And it hurt just as much as the first time, the weight of the small cross hanging from his neck was a clear reminder of that.

* * *

Siberia was one of those places where it's practically impossible to survive, and yet people managed to do so. Short summers, with a continuous yet thin layer of snow. Long winters with little or no light and at least 4 feet of snow each night. It made the most simple and common things difficult. And it was there where Tala and his team where heading to.

Sitting in an empty wagon of the train, they pretended they didn't see the guards half concealed in the dark corners, watching their movements closely; ready to repress any sign of trouble.

Repress it _permanently_.

It took them four days in train, but they finally reached the train station closest to their new _home_. From there, it around twelve more hours to reach a small city in the very core of Siberia, Logobo Volka (Ian couldn't hold back the snort at that, much to Tala's annoyance), which was three miles and a half away from the so called rehabilitation center. The _Nadiezhda_ Rehabilitation Center.

"I hate life's irony." Ian muttered darkly as they crossed the bridge over the small stream and the big wooden sign.

Tala, Spencer and specially Bryan had to agree with him.

When they reached the first wooden cabin, they were received rather warmly by a twenty something young man, with wild raven black hair and bright grey eyes, that shook the hand of the man in charge of taking them there, took their papers and after calling the man away, turned to smirk at them.

"It's been a while since we had celebrities among us," at the risen eyebrows he received, he elaborated, "Whatever bullshit it was said after the championships, most of us wanted you to beat the goofy goody two shoes, just to make it more interesting... I'm Vladimir Bespokoylov by the way." He tipped an imaginary hat. The smirk was rather pleasant, and they did feel sincerity flowing off the boy, so tension eased slightly.

"I would present ourselves, but I think it'd be rather stupid don't you think?" Tala said shrugging, and Vladimir nodded.

"Indeed. Krystal, the owner and director of the center, is waiting, and is a good half a mile to get there, so if you don't mind, let's go. I don't fancy having my ass frozen here," the grey-eyed man said with a snicker, and tension lifted another notch.

"We wouldn't like that indeed," Tala intoned smoothly, and they started walking though the serpentine road towards the biggest building.

As they passed the smaller wooden cabins, they were aware of the kids that looked at them curiously, the bravest of them venturing outside to get a better look at the celebrities. After a few minutes, Tala started interrogating their guide, feeling up his disposition and trying to piece up the sort of place they had been dumped on.

"I got here when I was seven, got me stealing a big shop in Moscow, and while I was running away I got hit by a car of one of the wealthiest men in the city... he didn't want to deal with a demand and other bullshit so he cast me away, the farthest place he could think of actually... and _voila,_" Vladimir smiled fondly, "Later on, I escaped a few times, just to piss Krystal off, but she always took me back in... I sometimes wonder if she's really devoted to her work, or just plain masochist." Ian, Spencer and Tala chuckled slightly at that, pulling a smirk on Vladimir's face, though he frowned slightly at the blank face Bryan kept on the whole time.

"Aren't you old enough to be on your own, though?" Ian blinked curiously as Vladimir snorted.

"Yeah, but now I work here... meet your 'Self-Developing' Councilor children," he retorted rather sardonically and Tala rolled his eyes.

"Developing of what? _My_ masochist self?" The redhead asked with a risen eyebrow, causing the older man to snicker.

"Actually I'm supposed to teach you manners... though I have the distinct feeling you _have_ them, point is you don't _use_ them."

"_Touché._"

* * *

Krystal Petrova was a rather cheerful woman that made them edgy. She had baby blond hair that waved in soft curls, bright sparkling blue eyes and a motherly aura that made them pretty uncomfortable. She spoke calmly and rather warmly while she explained most of the movement around the center.

There were a total of thirteen cabins scattered in the eight square miles of grounds that belonged to the center, completely independent of each other, each one having enough space for up to six people in it, but only housing two or three teens of more or less the same age range together. There was a day for laundry once a week and meals were served daily in a strict schedule. A bus would drop them at school at seven and pick them up at three all weekdays, while on weekends they had a total of four hours of counseling work with Vladimir in different timetables. Hot water and wood supply for heating each cabin were assigned weekly and it was their responsibility to administrate it accordingly. A 350 rubles allowance was given to each of them weekly for extra needs, like clothing or school material; though they were free to spend it on whatever they wanted. Computer and the internet access were a special service only some cabins had, and they would need to keep a certain conduct level to keep them.

Through the whole speech none of them said a word, leaving the woman and her mother-hen tendencies talk and talk non-stop, while they radiated an aura of annoyance and indifference, pretending not to hear what they were being told, and in truth not really paying much attention. Of course, until they were told _who_ they were rooming with.

"…And I'm _sure_ Lizeth will be _delighted_ to meet you," Krystal said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"Hold your horse; _we_ are rooming with a _gal_?" Tala raised a cynical eyebrow at Krystal, who answered with one of her own.

"Apparently so, according to what I just said... _sweetheart,_" Tala's eye twitched at the nickname, but otherwise remained stoic, "As I was saying, you will be rooming with Lizeth Smildrilova in cabin thirteen, that's the farthest one at the south for you, and you _will_ sit meals with her too, she knows what table is yours... oh and almost forgot, please be kind enough to tell someone if you go into the forest. Last year we had this nasty incident with the wolf pack that lives in the Northwest part of the forest and it was really hell to deal with bureaucratic problems. You're free to enter the woods under your own responsibility but do tell someone who's staying where are you planning to go... will make your and _my_ life easier." The woman sighed rather dramatically as she gathered her papers up and clapped her hands, satisfied. "Well, that should be all, my sister Dunia here will lead you to your cabin and give you your keys, don't lose them, because you'll pay the new ones out of your allowance and... basically that's all. Dunia if you please?"

Dunia Petrova was the complete opposite of her sister. Small and more on the chubby side of things, her blond hair looked a shade darker than Krystal's and her eyes were much more smaller as well as rat like. Just at the sight of her, the boys guarded themselves subconsciously, regarding her with cool mistrusting stares. She glared at them as if they were the cause of all her misery and guided them towards the lone cabin at the edge of the forest. She knocked rather forcefully on the door, and after a second the sound of something being slammed, heavy footfalls were heard. Then the door was flung open, revealing what the boys assumed would be their new _roommate_.

Just that it wasn't what they expected.

Sure, they could _see_ it was a girl. But not the kind of girl they were expecting to find.

Her hair was a raven black, which was neatly held on a tight braid that reached her waist, while to chin long bangs framed her face. Her pale face contrasted with the piercing black eyes that glared venomously at them. Her body was covered by a dark crimson sleeveless top that sank into a pair of black pants that were at a few sizes larger than her slim form needed. A thick black jacket and snow boots finished the attire as well as leather wristbands in each hand. Her well kept appearance, as well as the rare mix of her eye and hair color gave her an alluring air, though the latent warning that flowed from her eyes was overwhelming.

"Your new _roommates_, Smildrilova, do try and keep them alive." Dunia said acidly and the girl, Lizeth, thinned her lips dangerously, "Careful, I can still kick you out if I see fit," the older woman said condescendingly, but the boys were surprised to see their new roommate snort dryly. When Lizeth refused to speak, Dunia continued, "These are your keys, report to the Director's office first thing tomorrow morning, clear?"

When she received no answer, she hm'ed and walked back to the main cabin, muttering under her breath about them. Ignoring her, Tala and Lizeth were already engaged into a fierce glaring contest, while Ian, Spencer and Bryan just watched from the sidelines.

"It's a _pleasure_ to meet you," The redhead said sarcastically as he crossed his arms over his chest, "_Wench._"

The unnerving dark glare settled in him as her eyes narrowed, before she brushed pass him, crimson colored blade in her hand, a similar glow in it's core, announcing the presence of a bit beast inside it. Tala raised an eyebrow as she disappeared silently into the woods, not even once turning back to them.

"_Lovely._" Spencer pointed out with distaste, and was answered by two snorts and a grunt.

"Could have been a bloody goody two shoes," Ian shrugged, trying to look at the bright – or at least less dark – side of things, "Or worse yet, _a fan._" The last comment made Spencer snicker and Tala shiver inwardly at that implication, before they moved into their new _home_.

After they dropped their duffel bags in the center of the rather small living room and having explored the cabin, they looked at Tala questioningly, wanting to know who would have to room with the little _ray of sunshine_.

"So...Ian?"

"Nope, don't look at me," the Shrimp raised his hands defensively, "I'm not suicidal... _yet._"

"Spencer?"

"If I have no other choice, but I rather keep my sanity, thank you." The blond said as he raised an eyebrow and Tala sighed.

"Bryan, would you?"

The lavender haired teen shrugged indifferently.

"Do I look like someone who actually cares?" Snapping out rather acidly, and pulling his bag with him, he entered the room at their left, slamming the door behind him.

His teammates winced.

* * *

When Lizeth came back into the cabin, she looked a bit more calmer, but her nerves flared up instantly as soon as she found Spencer thrown over a couch, reading a book and generally ignoring the world. When she closed the door, he looked up at her, raising a questioning eyebrow at her. She narrowed her eyes and entered her room without a word.

Only to find Bryan staring up at the ceiling in one of the beds.

Lavender and midnight crashed as they both glared measurably at each other. Lizeth's grip on her blade tightened and Bryan's lips thinned.

After a few minutes of the staring contest, Bryan turned back to the ceiling, ignoring her completely as he sank back into his own thoughts and memories. Lizeth looked suspiciously at him, before settling on her own bed. She took out a notebook and set to doodle something.

* * *

Next morning, as told, they walked back to the main lodge, where Krystal received them with the same cherry attitude that flared their nerves. She repeated some points of the day before, and told them about school. Logobo Volka was the biggest _'city'_ in a few hundred miles around, so it had a huge school complex where kids from all ages and from about 20 different towns went to. Exactly where they would be sent.

"The school's director is an old friend of mine, so you'll get sorted together. She's very strict though, don't cause her trouble and she'll leave you alone, the classes will start next Wednesday, with the annual gathering. You're expected to attend... and you're expected to be _civil,_" the last part had been a clear order, one which caused a few risen eyebrows, "But other than that, I'm _sure_ you'll be fine." Krystal said for the umpteenth time, with that sunny smile that irked them to the point of contemplating violence, before handing out their schedules and a list of school material Dunia would supply. "Now, off to breakfast, I'm sure Lizeth's already waiting for you." She added a wink for good measure.

Tala was itching to send her to hell, but refrained from it, _barely_. Ian snorted loudly at that, and Spencer was debating whether or not to break her airhead bubble. Bryan stared at the cheerful woman with a mix of distaste and disgust.

* * *

As it turned out, breakfast as well as the other meals, they were told, were served in the biggest cabin, by the cook, a seventy-something old woman that gave them whatever she thought was edible. The Wench was sitting at the side of the table, eating an apple and generally ignoring them, while Bryan, sitting across the table, was gazing out through the window. The breeze was cool, and not all that unpleasant, as the last remains of spring finally left the isolated city. He turned his attention towards Ian, when the shorter boy exclaimed in disgust.

"What _the hell_?" The purple-haired teen asked looking completely shaken as he poked his plate with a spoon.

"Oatmeal, I think," Tala snorted, frowning as his own spoon became stuck in the pale bulb, "A few decades ago, that is."

"I take my chance that's what Boris' brain looks like," Spencer piped in with a smirk, causing Tala and Ian to go into a snicker fit.

Bryan didn't find it amusing. In fact, he found the whole thing annoying. Apparently so did the Wench, since she stood up, carrying the last remains of her apple – all she ate in breakfast – and stalked away silently. Bryan raised and eyebrow and his pale eyes traveled from her plate, to his own, to his teammates, to the window. He snorted.

"It's going to rain again," he told no one in particular as he stood up, having only taken a glass of milk.

"Where're you goin'?" Tala asked, brow furrowed slightly when Bryan rolled his eyes at him.

"To train," he bit back shortly, already walking away, "_Mother._"

He was sporting a rather satisfied smirk as a raspberry reached his ears.

* * *

He had been right. As presumed, the Wench was blading in the one of the concrete dishes near her – _their_ – cabin, and she _was_ blading, not that pathetic excuse for a spin those bitches at the World Tournament had called blading. That was power, that was raw, and to Bryan's surprise, it made something stir within himself. He watched her blade move, spinning overcharged as it zoomed though the dish, the movements were smooth and calculated, not unlike his own, and he could sense the grace and the power of the bit beast lingering inside the blade. He looked at the Wench, and found her piercing eyes staring at his own. It wasn't a glare, but a challenge.

And Bryan liked challenges.

He looked back at her, not with spite, but with a need of showing what he was worth. He allowed himself a smirk, when she matched it.

It wasn't pity what flowed between them, even if they could _sense_ what the other had gone through, it wasn't pity what they offered, because neither need it.

"It's a waste of a good blade, with no one to fight against," he said, either to her or to himself it wasn't clear, but soon, the newly reconstructed white and black blade was spinning in the dish, running alongside the Wench's.

It was a matter of a few crashes, before Falborg emerged from the blade, under Bryan's mental will.

"It's a waste of a good beast, with no one to fight against," Lizeth told him, speaking for the first time, in a rusty, low voice, much less feminine than her whole appearance, but with a smirk, a crimson glow emerged from her blade.

Bryan took in the sight of the majestic beast that arose, so similar to it's owner and yet so different at the same time. The magnificent red dragon let out a growl, opening it's wings powerfully, challenging Falborg forward. The beast was powerful and beautiful, not unlike her master, Bryan accepted, but it radiated light, while Lizeth seemed to absorb it from her surroundings.

Their fight was long, and rather than attacking their bit beasts seemed to be dancing. No one talked and the intimacy of the moment struck Lizeth as odd. Why did she feel so curious by the lavender haired teen then? A nagging whisper crossed her mind and her head tilted slightly to the side, taking in Bryan's frame as he looked up at their bit beasts. He was tall, and burly, and not exactly _attractive_, but he was... _alluring_.

Why did he felt safe standing in that dish? Bryan looked up at the beasts entangled in a fight, high above the dish, and questioned himself. What pulled him to follow the Wench? Why did he commented, no, _complimented_ on her skills? He looked down and locked eyes with her.

Her eyes were pitch black.


	2. Chapter Two

**Title:** Learning To Fly.

**Chapter:** II - Our Wench.

**Beta:** tsukikami.

**Characters/Pairings:** Demolition Boys Centric, OC and 'canon' pairings.

**Global Rating:** R.

Chapter Rating: PG-13.

**Genre:** Drama, with lines of Angst and Romance.

**Warnings:** Follows after the first season, with elements from the second and the third thrown in for spice. This story supports 'canon pairings' (I.e. Rei/Mariah, Max/Emily, Tyson/Hilary), even though it contains OC pairings.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Beyblade, but I own the plot and the original characters

**Feedback:** Very welcome, please!

**Word Count:** 3 860.

**Summary: **Trying to adjust to normal life is no easy affair. Particularly when your name is Tala Ivanov, and you tend to attract trouble above anything else.

**Author's Notes:** Second chapter. Thanks for the reviews, and I know it's a bit confusing since I changed the style I posted in the pilots and the actual story, but I hope you like it

_Date of Edit: December 16th, 2006_

* * *

**Learning To Fly.**

_Chapter Two. Our Wench._

On Monday Tala had dragged them into town, a bloody three mile walk though the snow Spencer hadn't enjoyed a bit. Neither did Tala or Ian for the matter, but Bryan just seemed to be far too thoughtful to actually notice where they were. The city was indeed larger than expected, with a good Beyblade shop, a few stores and cafes, a cinema and surprisingly a good open-air Beyblade stadium. It was rather warm inside the bus that was supposed to take them to the school complex, that windy Wednesday morning. Bryan had been thoughtful all the weekend, and it had been the day before when Tala finally snapped up at him to bring his goddamned mind back from the clouds. They hadn't seen Lizeth outside meals, but the Wench's presence was in the entire cabin; somehow they knew she _was_ there, even though they couldn't really _see_ her.

Spencer watched Bryan measurably, knowing _something_ had changed, yet he couldn't really pin point _what_ had changed. Ian and Tala were just chatting about doing some modifications to Wyborg, while Bryan, at his left, was staring off at space.

Something he seemed to do very often of the late.

Tala was in a good mood, all things considered, he had been looking around the thirty or so kids that lived in the Center; most were quite bearable and he even ventured to say he liked some of the younger ones. Vladimir had popped on their cabin on Sunday, and their dynamic that day had been pretty simple, if not tedious, talking about what was blading for them. That added to the fact that Tala had spent half Monday's night at the internet tracking Kai, having found him in the end at a fan club of the Bladebrakers – and had managed to get his personal e-mail, made up for a good start. Having sent the blunette a message and a small recollection of the resent events, he was waiting for an answer.

So when the bus pulled a stop in front of the school, they all climbed down slowly, mainly out of laziness than anything. There were a few other buses nearby the school, probably coming from other towns, with kids of all ages coming out of them. Tala stretched as their bus sped away, yawning slightly.

"I'm bored," he told no one in particular, his ever live eyes scanned the crowds.

"You're _always_ bored," Ian pointed out with a roll of his eyes and Tala snickered.

"True, but it's not my fault my perfection can't be matched."

This caused a new round of rolled eyes, Bryan included, and a soundly snort behind them. They were surprised to find Lizeth looking at them with a risen eyebrow, a hand over her waist, while the other held her book bag in a loose grip. She rolled her eyes at them again, and passed by them briskly, ignoring them as she entered the main building.

"Almost forgot she was coming," Spencer commented dryly, as the raven haired teen disappeared into the crud.

"You said it, _almost_," Ian said smirking and Tala snort.

"Soding Wench from hell," Tala muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes.

Bryan stayed silent, watching the tall building, as well as the students flowing inside with a calculative glare.

"So, we still _have_ to go inside, right?"

* * *

They met the school director, Tatiana Krusastova, and to their relief, the woman lacked Krystal's sunny attitude. She was a former military and had instituted a solve-your-own-conflicts conduct code in the school, and that quite frankly gained her Tala's respect. They accepted their _orders_ and were sent to their homeroom. Apparently, Tatiana thought they were fit to enter the last year, and sent them to that class, which coincidentally was also Lizeth's (Ian groaned _loudly_ at that) and off they were. That day they would only meet their classmates and generally form an idea of their teachers, the real classes would begin the next Monday. 

As they walked into their homeroom, there was a dead silence as the five or so teens inside set their eyes on them. Slightly unfazed, but in the least showing it, they walked on a corner at the back, arranging themselves in the double seats, Ian with Spencer and Bryan with Tala. As they stared off to space and purposely ignored their classmates a few more boys and girls entered the room, the Wench among them; the small room was half full when suddenly a girl ran into the room, looking flushed and breathing harshly.

"I," she gasped, "Made it."

And she collapsed on a nearby chair, right next to Lizeth, who let out a heavy sigh. The rest of the room, they included, sweatdroped.

"Will you _ever_ learn to arrive on time?" Lizeth asked sharply, her voice sounding quite reproachful.

"And ruin the fun and the excitement of running six miles to miraculously arrive on the nick of time?" The girl countered with a smirk, "Never!"

She was short and slim, with silvery blond hair and jewel like amethyst eyes, which shone brightly as she stretched soundly. She was wearing worn out jeans and a long sleeved dark pink t-shirt, while snow boots complemented the look.

"Mel, grow a life," a brunette at their side said with a prominent roll of his eyes, and the violet eyed teen stuck her tongue out at him, before she finally noticed them in the back.

"Wow, so the rumor's true," she said pulling herself up, dusting her cloths and rising at eyebrow at them, Tala raised an eyebrow back, "Great match," Mel grinned rather wolfishly as she set her hands in her pockets. The compliment threw them out for a second, before Tala reacted, just not the way everyone else expected.

"I've done better." The redhead shrugged, giving her a half smirk.

"I bet you'll kick Granger's ass next time," she sounded rather convinced of herself, crossing her arms above her head, looking quite smug, "I'm Melissa Sverdrup by the way, though Mel's shorter."

"Your outstanding ability to point out the obvious still astonishes me _Sveltwit,_" a boy said as he entered the room, followed by what common opinion knew as his lapdogs.

The first one was fairly tall, with blond hair and blue eyes, sporting a rather large pendant from his left ear. The second guy was short, slightly more so than Ian, with red eyes and black hair, wearing a stud on his eyebrow. The guy who had insulted Mel was as tall as Tala, with blue hair and grey eyes and a cocky smirk not unlike his own. He was leveling the blonde, Mel, with a caustic sneer, causing her to glare back venomously.

"I'd worry about your metal state Sverdrup, might befall on others," the blunette said confidently and they were surprised to see their classmates ignore him purposely and Mel, as fierce as she had looked, looking away, "I just wanted to see who had gotten into the other classroom, but surprise surprise, nothing worth note again, I guess there's no one intelligent enough to have a conversation with, well perhaps you," he smirked wickedly, "I'm Karen Ruvloff, and this are Nikita and Kristian," he kept on sneering, but he didn't received the answer he expected.

"And both are stupid enough to need you to talk for them, right?" The redhead said as he narrowed his eyes, he didn't like this guy a bit.

"You think you're pretty special don't you? Being the big famous blader and all, huh? Still you lost to a kid and his lousy blade." Karen answered back with a snarl, while his two goons blinked at the insult.

"At least he knows how to blade _and_ how to accept defeat, and he doesn't need to hide behind a pair of, quite pathetic may I add, lapdogs," Ian answered smoothly, glaring coldly at the insolent kid, who seethed at him.

"Why don't you shut up _dwarf_, I was talking to him," Karen snapped with a glare, and before someone could stop it, the four of them were standing, glaring at him frostily.

"Do insult a friend again," Tala said amicably, looking very interested in the dirt gathering beneath his nails, "and I'll do something as nice as, don't know, turn your insides out with my bare hands."

Bryan was staring at the blunette with annoyance, while Ian and Spencer simply looked pissed off.

"Oh, I'm so terribly afraid... I'll just move out of the way, or maybe Smildrilova will come to harm me... I'm so scared," The blunette faked a tremble, and they heard an animalistic growl, coming from within Lizeth's throat.

"Careful Ruvloff," Black eyes narrowed, she bared her teeth at him, "I would like to remind you that a broken arm and a black eye aren't all that appealing."

The comment – and the longest sentence her housemates had ever heard from her - caused some of the other people in the room to snicker, probably at a memory, but Karen didn't find it amusing.

"Will you shut up? _Whore._"

And before anyone could stop it, Lizeth had given him a solid left hook, sending him backwards towards the door, where he barely caught the frame. Tala blinked, as did the rest of the team, surprised by the effectiveness of the attack, while the rest of their classmates simply moved out of the way. Apparently Nikita and Kristian had their uses, because they helped Karen up and growled up at Lizeth, who was cracking her knuckles in a not-so-feminine way.

"I ought to..." Karen didn't finish the line, but the way he stood up and walked over Lizeth made it clear he wasn't pleased.

A huge, claw vice grip held his arm as he raised it against the dark haired teen, he turned around, only to meet the frozen glare in Bryan's pale eyes. He was very obviously unamused at their antics.

"Now, now," Tala said calmly, patting Lizeth's shoulder and ignoring the way she stiffened and glared at him as he did, "That was certainly not polite, was it?"

Karen tried to pry his arm out of the crushing hold, but not only was Bryan stronger he was also annoyed.

Annoyed at him for insulting everything, nothing, them and the Wench. Angry at himself for _caring_. Angry at _him_ for being just a stubborn _prick_. His eyes were reflecting enough bottled annoyance to scare anyone into silence, lest they provoked an explosion. Karen glared darkly when he finally managed to wrench his arm away, absently rubbing his wrist.

"Fine, you can go to hell for all I care, that _whore_ included," he spat snidely, and Kristian and Nikita backed to him.

"You don't learn do you?" Tala raised a brow, "And she's a _Wench,_" _and she's ours._ He added mentally, feeling some sort of territorial annoyance at the blunette.

So, they weren't _friends_ with her, they were hardly even _civil_. But at least they managed to respect each other and it was rather frustrating dealing with someone who didn't even give them that merit. Plus, the blunette was just an arrogant prissy idiot that grated their nerves. Karen and company left the room and, as they relaxed a bit, Mel spoke again.

"You didn't have to do that you know," the silver haired teen pointed out with a risen eyebrow but Tala shrugged.

"I don't like him, and in general I don't like the pompous, arrogant self-centered idiots."

Lizeth snorted loudly as she stepped away from him, a slight smirk touching her lips "I don't really need your help."

"That, I can see," Tala smiled then, a rather pleasant sight, considering there was a newborn glint of appreciation in his eyes, and Lizeth found herself smiling back, "Though I don't think I'll miss a chance to kick his sorry excuse for a high ass."

The Wench rolled her eyes.

It had been their first civil conversation, hell their first conversation, period. But she felt slightly unnerved – and reassured, but she wouldn't admit that, much less say it out loud – by the protectiveness in Tala's voice, and the simple gesture of Bryan's aid. Something changed then, but it was so quiet and so private, their classmates didn't saw it. The class chuckled at their exchange and finally all of them came closer to them. They sat on a circle, presenting themselves, while Bryan stayed in the background.

"I'm Kieran," the brunette that had called on Mel earlier said with a grin.

"And I'm Celeste," a hyper looking redhead winked at them.

"Kain," a serious looking, black haired boy nodded politely, still sitting further away from them.

"And I'm Nikita, but I rather you call me Nick," the blond boy shrugged, "I don't fancy any mistakes with a certain Neanderthal you just met."

"So, like I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted, I'm Mel," she was sitting on a desk, swinging her legs playfully, "And for the love of anything sacred, don't call me Lisa."

"Irina," a small blue haired girl said with a smile.

"I'm Celine, and that thing sitting there goes by as my brother," the purple haired girl said pointing to a boy by the window, obviously her twin, "He says he's Derrick, I say he's just an idiot, but…"

"Huh?" The boy turned to them, blinking as if realizing for the first time they were there, and a few snickers broke along the room.

"I'm Lizeth. You heard it? Li-zeth. Any attempt at a nickname will end in pain." The Wench glared pointedly at Mel, and most of their classmates snickered, already knowing that, "_Lots_ of it."

"That means I can't express my love for you with a simple... _Lizzy?_" Ian dodged a flying jacket, cackling as Lizeth growled and bared fangs at him.

"Don't kill him Wench," Tala said in a patronizing pose, noting with amusement said girl was unfazed by her new alias, "Much; I still need him for the team."

"I feel _so_ loved," Ian muttered dramatically, and the class started snickering again.

"Get used to it," Tala said with a snort "I'm Tala as you know, please, I'll only be signing autographs after school hours…"

There were a few snorts, sighs and roll eyes as the redhead dodged a vicious eraser thrown his way.

"I'm Ian," the navy haired blader said with a smirk, "And I want you to know that I really don't know him, honest."

"And I suppose I should present my self too right? Spencer," the tall boy crossed over his chest and arched eyebrow at his teammates antics.

All eyes turned to Bryan, who was resting against the wall, his arms folded and his face bowed, so his hair would cover his eyes. He straightened up and gave them a mildly exasperated glance.

"Bryan, and don't shorten my name," the lavender haired teen snorted, and Ian's comment got almost lost when their teacher entered the room.

"Did I mention he's a ray of sunshine?"

* * *

Their schedule, Ian decided, was planned by Satan himself. They had far more classes than expected, and by the looks of it, the work load wouldn't be nice. Math, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Universal History, Literature, Grammar and Redaction, _Drama_, Psychology and Gym. And to add to the list, Chemistry, Biology and Physics had labs, which coincidentally were placed _on the same bloody day_. 

The Shrimp continued to moan and groan about it all the way back to the center, much to the rest of the bus' distress.

"Will you _shut up_?" Bryan finally snapped "Darn you two cented _brat._" He growled at Ian, bearing his teeth in warning, before sinking back to look out the window.

Ian sniffed and sulked on his place, mumbling about psycho guys who needed a date. Lizeth, a seat behind them, snorted at that.

* * *

Lizeth had watched them since they set a foot on the cabin. Something clicking within herself as she watched them together. She was wary of them, even if she didn't show it. They were strangers, with a bad reputation, and she didn't feel safe in the cabin anymore. 

She felt as if they were plotting something, always so close, always so... _together_. It made her nerves flare, but then she discovered their somewhat daily ritual and she was surprised to realize they were only trying to stick together and let all come their way. Tala still watched over his teammates like a vicious alpha wolf would, as if they were his family, she realized.

She analyzed them, and somewhat learned their personalities, and their ways to see the world, by simple observation.

Ian was always laughing at something, for instance. The navy haired, red eyed teen had mastery on making Tala's skin crawl. He poked, twisted and teased until the redhead snapped, only to laugh at his team leader angered expression. Spencer was more complex, and much more cunning, she realized, when the blond looked right up at the tree she had been watching them from, and smirked at her. The blond was hard to read, Lizeth concluded, as he was always guarded, always calculating on something and generally not letting others into his mind. And Tala was open. Much more than the Wench thought possible. The redhead didn't hide what he was thinking, much to his teammates annoyance, and he apparently feel the need to communicate every single thought that crossed his mind, sarcastic remark included.

But it was Bryan that made the Wench thoughtful. The pale teen liked to close up around himself, thinking only God knew what, and at some level, reminding her of what she used to be when he first came into the Center. And that scared her, because she didn't want to think what was needed to make such a strong person as Bryan, curl up around his wounds so tightly.

She learned that their interactions weren't mechanical, but they were routine. Each day, at six o'clock, Tala would wake up, making enough noise to wake the whole center. He would offer the bathroom to her, she would decline and he would take it himself. Then he would hurry Ian into the shower, while Spencer and Bryan finished getting their stuff ready. After Bryan and Spencer took a shower, they all walk to the main lounge to eat breakfast, while Tala asked them if they were fine. A 'yes', a 'kind of' and a grunt were always his answers. Which he smirked, snorted and sighed at.

But the next day after Karen's confrontation and after they'd spent sometime together at Mel's insistence, the blue eyed boy had turned to her, raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"And you Wench? Feeling like a ray of sunshine today?"

She stared at him for a few seconds, while Ian and Spencer snickered behind him. In the background, she felt Bryan's eyes piercing on her back. She snorted, shook her head and sighed.

"The day I become a ray of sunshine, do us all a favor and shoot me."

"Now that's _our_ Wench," Ian laughed, while Tala and Spencer chuckled slightly, and she felt... _welcomed_.

At home.

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_Leave a review if you please... 'Nyways, see you next chapter._


	3. Chapter Three

_(A/N) Next chapter, and finally some blading action P I'm running out of things to say in this notes damnit! Lol_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, but I own the plot and the original characters._

_

* * *

_

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Three, Demolition... Girl?_**

From: hiwatarikai (a) ycndex . ru

To: ivanovswrath (a) ycndex . ru

Hey to you too.

Yes, you're a bastard, or so I've gather from the last years, quite traumatic experience mind you, sharing a bathroom with you... let's not dwell in that again. **:shudder:** I'm fine by the way, though I must say it was really a surprise to check my mail, out of boredom mind you, and find a message of you. Really touching Red, it makes me feel loved.

**:snort:**

Yeah, I'm still in Moscow, but not for long. Kat's gotten into her mind that Russia's bad for me **:rolls eyes:** she's my mother, sure, but sometimes she acts as if she tried to ruin what's left of my pride.

So, I'll be moving into Japan sometime within this month, and while Miss Important gets a flat and works a conexion for a job, I'll be _stucked_ with Granger. **:glare:** stop laughing Tala. Anyway, I've got nothing against the guy, sure he's loudmouthed and annoying as hell when he wants to be, but in general he's as nice as they come, and has finally gotten the message that I _need_ space. Miracles exist after all. Of course, he doesn't really get the part where I sit at the roof just watching the sky and thinking non sense no other human being should ever know, because that'd ruin about sixteen years of trying to pretend I'm an evil bastard.

So what if I've cracked, you already knew that Red.

Shut up.

ANYWAY, you're wrong though, public school isn't bad. PREP school is bad. And evil. And twisted. And all the bad words formerly applied to Boris Valkov **:slams head against a wall:** You don't know what is to have a _fan_ as a roommate.

It's torture I tell you.

The guy's name's Wyatt, and he's quite nice... until he goes psycho trying to get you back to blading, when you _don't_ want to blade.

I know what's going though your head. What the hell! Kai doesn't want to blade anymore! Not that drastic. You know just how much I love blading and what Dranzer means to me, but I just... _can't_.

Not after what I did. I need to think it over, that whole Black Dranzer business and the tournament and my team attitude... it really shook quite a few things I had taken for granted in my life. And yes I'm going philosophic, you can laugh now.

Anyway, now that I've bored you with my pointless life, here come my fast answers to yours questions.

1.- No, girls aren't usually so... _Wenchy_.

2.- Er, no, from what _I_ know, and that's saying a lot, normal people don't have _fangs_. Rei's a neko-jin though, it's a racial factor, so she might have Asian family... And yes, you usually attract trouble that way.

3.- **:snort:** I very well accept that bet concerning Bryan and that Wench. Consider a dozen rubles the Falcon snaps her neck in a month.

**:smirk:**

Oh, by the way, don't let the Wench corrupt you, I don't think my heart would stand the idea of _any_ of you **:sneer:** _in love_.

'Xcuse me while I go laugh my arse off.

**_Kai "Blue" Hiwatari_**

_"Don't stare at me"_

Ps. get a messenger account, I want to chat with you someday: krasnyodraeietz (a) hotmail . com

* * *

It took them about half an hour to make Tala stop _cackling_ about the mail and then about two hours more to make him stop snickering. By the end of it, Lizeth and Bryan had slammed the door of their room hard enough to make the cabin shake, trying to shut the snickering redhead, while Ian and Spencer fled the cabin.

* * *

Things afterwards went slightly better for them. In general school didn't suck so badly, and Mel was a real lifesaver, as Ian was prompt to admit. Both short teens soon found quite a lot of things in common and started spending time together, much to Tala's and Spencer's amusement. The teasing in the cabin never stopped, and the Wench could swear she saw the Shrimp blush slightly.

On their part, Tala and Spencer had gotten along with generally all of their class, the red head showing he wasn't always a pain in the arse, but actually quite a sensitive sarcastic bastard, which generally ended up as hilarious; the blond being his usual reserved and calm self.

It was Bryan who generally stayed aside, though he never really denied helping anyone brave enough to ask him. Most of the time though, he was around Spencer or alone, staring out the window, looking at the landscape and going though his thoughts.

It still made Tala twitch.

It was Friday, the last day of the torture, and they were supposed to meet their Drama teacher. Just that the man was nothing they expected. He was a short pale eyed, black haired cheerful guy with a sunny attitude that suddenly reminded them of Krystal, roundest, not the kind to do much exercise by the looks of it. One thing though. His name was Boris.

Boris Valkov.

To say there were four blank expressions in the classroom was an understandment. That this little pathetic guy was the epitome of effemination was clear. But the look on Tala's, Ian's, Spencer's and specially Bryan's was scary.

They spent the rest of the classroom staring at the little hyper monstrosity and trying to swallow as he smiled and waved at them to see them the next week. Mel was absolutely annoying in the recess.

"It was _unique_!" The blond was cackling, in what suspiciously seemed Ian's fashion as she smirked at them "You looked like you'd seen something... _horrible_" The four glared.

"We _saw_ something horrible" Spencer pointed out with a shudder, and Mel tilted her head to the side.

"So what if Valkov is a bit on the... _other_ side, you're not well... _intolerant_ are you?" She said frowning slightly, Tala shook his head.

"Not that, I couldn't really care less what the guy does on his free time, it's just that... we _knew_ a quite different Boris Valkov, not so long ago, and well, the comparison is quite... _drastic_"

"Understandment of the year Tala" Bryan said dryly, shuddering visibly.

"He's just too... _fluffy_" Ian said irking.

"I didn't know you knew that kind of words" Mel said with a snicker and a risen eyebrow, Ian blew a raspberry "It's not... _evil_"

"Oh we're not evil Mel" Tala said with a dramatic pose "We're misunderstood" He said with an exaggerated sigh. The platinum blond snorted.

"_Sure_, and terrorizing poor old Lizeth isn't evil"

"Hold your horse, _we_ don't terrorize _her_" Spencer said with a risen eyebrow.

"It's the other way around" Tala and Ian said in unison, and it set Mel on a laughing fit.

They were deep within their chat, so they never noticed the lavender haired teen slip away, walking quietly away from the building and into the somewhat garden the school had on the backyard. It wasn't really a garden, but an open space at the back of the school with a few benches and a whole lot of trees, most of them were birches, their white and black trunks looking inviting, there were a few oaks too.

Bryan liked it there.

With all the snow, very few people dared to come, and some oaks were strong enough to support his weight as he climbed to one of their branches. Here he could disappear into the tree's embrace, and neither Tala nor anyone could find him. Here he could go on about what was bothering him.

Apparently the Wench seemed to think on the exact same lines, as she was curled on a bench, her back to him, a regular sized notebook on her hand and a pencil in the other, her eyes fixed in the paper. Curiosity got the better of him, and he slid towards her in silence, until he was standing exactly over her, he couldn't help but look at the paper with admiration.

It was a drawing of Falborg.

His bit beast was half covering himself with his wings, his eyes in the center of the paper, staring straight at the onlooker, as Lizeth tried to make out his wings properly. She sighed in frustration as the longest feathers came out wrong again, she erased them, and by the already appearing marks in the paper, it wasn't the first time.

Without knowing what came over him, he let his hand cover hers, guiding her slowly as they draw the feathers with a smooth movement, his face leaning in close to hers.

She froze for a second as a much bigger and stronger hand held hers, but the touch was soft and gentle, and she let herself be guided though the smooth feathers Bryan drew with ease. His head came closer to hers, mere inches side by side, and she turned her eyes upwards, and found the Moonlight deeps looking at her with a mix of curiosity and something she couldn't decipher.

She was about to ask something, when the bell ringed, signaling the end of the recess. Lizeth recovered her composure, and Bryan let go of her hand. She wanted to say something, but all she could do was smirk and shrugged. Bryan gave her a lopsided smirk, before both walked slowly back into the building, he, with his hands in his pockets, she, clutching her notebook solemnly.

* * *

It was a surprisingly sunny evening that day. The sun was still high in the sky when they reached the center, and the prospect of food was very tempting. Thankfully for them, Madame Smirnofnva, the cook, was quite skillful when she was wide awake, hence why at lunch and dinner the lounge was always full, whereas at breakfast it was almost empty. Tala, Ian and Spencer always stayed clear of the lounge in the mornings, while Lizeth went for her daily apple and Bryan for a glass of milk or water. Hence why the three of them were practically howling with hunger as they loaded into the lounge.

Lizeth and Bryan tactfully avoided the subject of the drawing, taking their usual seats at the table, eating quietly.

Around 5, Spencer and Ian decided that it was too much sun to waste it, and they left for the woods and a good Beyblade battle.

_And a teasing session._ Tala and Bryan thought in unison, with Mel's comments that day, and if Spencer's smirk was any indication, Ian would soon be as red as Tala's head when they came back.

"So much for fun" Tala muttered looking at the empty living room.

Despite appearances, he didn't stand being alone for long periods, like Kai could. The redhead was as social as they came, but he was forced to keep his personality in check so that Boris wouldn't punish him. No mattering what other people thought, Tala liked to talk with people, and he was generally a good lad, with a twisted look on the world, so when he saw Bryan asleep on his room and the Wench doing her Biology homework, he felt somewhat at lost of what to do. He sighed and walked away.

"Going' to Vald's" He called out, in case one of them were interested, and receiving no answer he shook his head and walked away.

* * *

Bryan was bored. He turned around at the small alarm clock in the nightstand separating his and the Wench's bed and found the red digits clearly marking 6:21. It was way too early to go to dinner, and from what he had heard, Ian and Spencer would return until 7:30 at least, and if Tala was lucky, Vladimir would release him no early than 7.

That gave him 39 minutes to kill, all by himself. He sighed, and got out of bed, walking slowly to where his bag lay forgotten in a corner. The Wench was nowhere in sight, probably gone to blade, he mused, before scowling at himself for even _wondering_ where she was.

Still wrestling with himself about the Wench, he looked at the contents of what passed as his schoolbag and wondered about what he could do with himself. Math, _too boring_. Chemistry, _not in the mood to investigate something._ Biology,_ I don't _need_ the mental image now._ Drama, _mmm, interesting._

The little bouncy thing that called himself Boris Valkov had left a fairly easy homework to be done. Draw the first thing that comes to your mind.

Bryan shrugged and picked up the blank paged notebook.

The first thing that came into his mind? A pair of unforgiving black eyes. Shrugging, he set to work, his back on the headboard of the bed, his hand drawing mercilessly over the white page, his mind filling in for him the rest of the features that went with those eyes.

* * *

Lizeth walked into the cabin, sweaty and tired. Her muscles ached, demanding a bath and her blade glowed in recoil. She entered the room, and found Bryan drawing something, probably their Drama homework. She shrugged and raised an eyebrow as he didn't seem to notice when she arrived. She looked at the alarm clock in the nightstand, and the numbers glared 6:48 back at her. Sighing slightly, and then snickering silently when Bryan jumped slightly, she got some clean cloths and walked towards the bathroom.

Moonlight orbs followed her as she disappeared though the door, mentally scowling at himself for not noticing earlier.

_Kuznestov, you're getting soft_.

A voice poked though his mind, and he whole heartedly agreed. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he looked down at the drawing that had pulled his attention to that degree.

It was her, he realized now, as the black eyes glared back at him.

He was tempted to destroy the drawing, but even to his standards it was a good one... and for some unknown reason, he pulled it aside, and trying to concentrate on another thing to start drawing again.

Annoyance at himself start to grow as he found that he could only concentrate on the sounds of the running water of the shower, or when it stopped, or when the door of the bathroom opened and closed.

Little did he know, that would make a great difference just about then, to be alert instead of drowning himself in his work.

There was a loud thump, and Bryan sat up startled. He strained to hear more, but all he heard was a soft whimper.

_The hell!_

He got up, leaving the drawing and the notebook carelessly over his bed, as he walked into the living room.

That was when shock kicked in.

Lizeth was curling behind the couch, her back against it, holding herself tightly as she trembled, a powerful seizure taking over her. A glass lay shattered around her, big and small pieces of crystal all around her. Something cold fell inside Bryan's stomach.

"Wench?" Bryan asked quietly, but Lizeth's black eyes were unfocussed as they slid though the room aimlessly.

Until they crashed with his. And he was lost then.

The whirlwind of emotion in the usually stoic unforgiving black eyes was overwhelming, and Bryan felt himself drawn to it. He gave a shaky step towards her, but she shrunk back. And then realization hit him like a brick.

It was _fear_. _Fear of him_ what the Wench was feeling.

Bryan had always been feared. By his fellow students back at the abbey. By his fellow teammates, because he was aware that deep down, the three of them feared him more than respected him. Even before the abbey... _Logan_ had feared him... and _Opal_ too. But somehow it hurted deep down that the Wench was afraid of him. Because she didn't know him, nor she knew what he had done, or what he was capable of doing, because she had never questioned him, and because, he realized, deep down, he respected the Wench a great deal. He felt cold, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, and he stared at her in a strange way. He swallowed, and stepped towards her, she curled closer to herself, but when he was mere inches apart, she used a piece of glass as a knife and slashed his arm.

The cut wasn't deep, but he was surprised and he fell backwards, watching her with wide eyes.

Lizeth stared at the blood that slowly dripped from the crystal and slowly raised it to her eyes, before sliding it though her left arm. The edge opened a wound and a line of blood appeared over the thin wrist. Bryan stared.

"_Wench_" Tala yelped, tackling her to the ground, making her drop the crystal and gasp "**_Bryan!_**" The redhead growled as Lizeth trashed against his grip. The pale haired teen snapped of his daze and stood up quickly.

"What-"

"Get the shower running cold, she's got a fever" The redhead snapped, and Bryan disappeared into the bathroom.

Tala glared down at Lizeth, who was struggling against his grip on her. He snarled inwardly, and pulled her upwards, before he trapped both her wrists with one hand and slid the other arm under her legs, hoisting her up. He walked into the bathroom, where he unceremoniously dropped her on Bryan. Moonlight eyes widened as he barely caught her, and looked up at Tala with a glare, but the anger on the blue eyes made Bryan choke back any comments.

"Get her under the water, and take care of her wrist, I'll find out what _the fuck_ is going on"

Before Bryan could even protest, Tala was already storming out the cabin, hell and fury all written on his face. The lavender haired teen personally pitied who ever had to give explanations to his friend. Looking down, he realized Lizeth was curled against him, shaking badly and her wrist and his arm were splashing them all with blood. He sighed in annoyance.

He moved carefully though, and gently hoisted the Wench up his arms, _so light_, and walked them into the shower, Lizeth crying out as the cold water hit her overheated skin. Bryan let her stand on her feet, but she was shaking so badly he had to wrap his arms around her to help her keep her balance. His thoughts darkened when she shifted nervously under his grip-

_Someone will die for this_, he decided, knowing that if the feeling he had was real, Tala would throw quite more than just a fit.

* * *

"Fuck out of my way" The redhead spat at Dunia, storming right into Krystal's office, the short woman was about to protest, but a death glare from the angry blue eyes and she winced, moving out of the way, rather than to face him.

"What's the meaning of this?" Krystal demanded standing up swiftly, as the door to her office opened and the slammed harshly.

"You fucking second class bitch" The red head snarled "_What_ is wrong with her and _why_ in the seven hells you didn't tell us?"

"_What!_" Krystal cried out in outrage "Now listen to me boy, on who's right you come here yelling non sense and spiting foul language here and there!"

"On Lizeth's behalf" Tala answered coldly, his eyes flashing darkly "And now _you_ listen to _me_. You sent me to live with someone _ill_ and rather _seriously_, if the _seizure_ I found her in was any indication, not to mention the emotional trauma she's been sent upon, to slash her wrist without the least show of doubt" The redhead's eyes narrowed immensely "Now you've got about a second to start telling me what's going on, or _I_'ll start to look up for stuff, and trust me, I _give_ Demolition a new definition"

Krystal glared back at him, but she chocked back the retort and grinded her teeth together. She didn't like people who was disrespectful of her, but it wasn't selfish reasons Tala had come, he _was_ worried about Lizeth, she could see as much, and that countered it slightly, although she _would_ make Vladimir go though this aggressive behavior.

"I cannot tell you her story Ivanov, simply because it's simple courtesy to keep each one yours secret, what I can tell you is that she has her medicine at the cabin, I personally gave it to her. A big plastic bottle with a red cap. Give her three pills and a bottle of milk, I'm sure Madame Smirnofnva won't mind you taking one from the kitchen. Go"

The redhead glared at her for good measure, signaling he would be back, but stormed away towards the kitchens, still in need to crush something with his own hands.

* * *

Spencer and Ian stared at Bryan. Bryan glared at them. They sweatdroped.

Both D-Boys had reached the cabin just to find their stoic friend sitting on Lizeth's bed, with said Wench still trembling, half unconsciously sprawled over his lap, while he tried to keep her warm and dry, rubbing her with a towel. Ian was about to comment, when Tala entered the room, still muttering about two-cented evil Directors of hell, a bottle of milk in his right hand and went directly for Lizeth's trunk, and after messing a few things, came up with a huge pill bottle.

Ian and Spencer were still staring as Tala gently forced three pills and all the milk though her throat. Lizeth curled closer over Bryan then, and the pale haired teen had a murderous expression on his face as he glared daggers at the Wench. Tala couldn't bite back the snicker.

"Let her sleep it over, that should make it better" He gave Bryan an apologic look "And don't wake her, now you two, out, out, out" He shooed Ian and Spencer and closed the door, just in time to hear Bryan sigh in irritation.

"Just _what_ are you doing to me?" He asked the already sleeping girl in his arms, and adjusted himself for a _long_ night.

_Gods I **hate** you Tala._

* * *

Meanwhile, a living room and a wall away, Tala had a thunderstorm brewing up his head. Ian dropped on his bed and stared at his team Capitan. When the redhead stopped spiting fire, then _he_ would talk to him, he was rather comfortable with all his body parts to stay where they were. Spencer though, raised a cynical eyebrow at the blue eyed teen and looked at him with a look of _'what now?'_

"You're pretty pissed off" The blond stated with a slight smirk and Tala _snarled_ at him.

"Well _newsflash_, did you _see_ her!" The red head was working out a fury, but Spencer knew well how to make him vent it.

"No, in case you forgot, neither of us was there. But I would thank you if you did tell, not _yell_, _tell_ us what happened"

"I. Don't. Know. That's the problem" The redhead snapped "I just caught her slitting her wrist, with Bryan watching like a stupid wall, just a bundle of nerves and trembling like there's no tomorrow" Comprehension drowned all along their faces.

"_Alexei_" Both breathed out, watching the redhead slump down against a wall in despair.

"Red..." Ian said with a definite tint of sadness and the redhead curled around himself, pulling his knees to his chest and placing his arms over them, looking at them over his arms.

"Tala, you _said_ you were over it" Spencer said sighing, sitting down in bed, looking at his team Capitan tiredly.

"You _can't_ be over it Spencer" The redhead croaked out looking down "It _was_ my freaking' fault, and just watching her there... god it was as if was all replaying again"

"It was _not_ your fault Tala" Spencer said sharply, and the redhead winced.

"It wasn't, and you know it, _he_ did what he thought best, because he _couldn't_ take it anymore" Ian snapped at Tala "Hell _I_ would have done it, _even_ with you and Kai there"

Silence fell into the room at that particular admission, but Tala was still looking away, the blond sighed.

"Ivanov, really I love you and everything, but if you don't come around in about just now I _will_ hurt you. _Badly_." Spencer said darkly and Tala looked up at him, still trying to get a grip of his own emotions "Go and take a bloody walk though the forest, and don't you _dare_ to come back feeling guilty or shaken because then _I_'ll fix it"

* * *

Morning came, and Tala had returned just a few hours ago, but it was useless, he was still shaken, _badly_, and just laid in bed watching the ceiling. Around seven, Ian and Spencer were a bit more awake than asleep, and the three of them marched into Bryan's and Lizeth's room, hoping to get some answers. When they entered though, they had to stop for a second to take in the sight.

Bryan was still sitting with his back against the headboard, his head bowed as he snored silently, while Lizeth was comfortably curled against him, her legs pulled to her chest as she rested between his, while he had his arms thrown over her in an instinctively protective fashion. The covers were thrown carelessly over them, to protect them from the cold of the night. It was... _homey_.

Surprisingly though, Ian didn't dare to snicker, and neither did Tala or Spencer comment. The redhead cleared his throat soundly, and moonlight orbs rose to meet his. Bryan glared. _I dare you to comment_. Lizeth snuggled down in the cover and after a few moments, looked up at them. Three eyebrows were raised, clearly asking for explanations. Onyx eyes looked uncharacteristically calm as she gazed at them from under her lashes. Tala was the first to speak.

"What happened?" The redhead demanded to know, and Lizeth winced slightly. She didn't want them to know. They would take advantage if they knew. They _always_ did.

"Nothing" She croaked out, her throat gone impossibly dry at the sight of the narrowed blue eyes.

"Nothing?" Tala said, incredous "Nothing you say, after collapsing into a seizure in our living room? That, in my books, is quite more than nothing. Now speak up"

His eyes were dangerously close to slits, something the other three Demolition Boys knew that meant his patience was growing thin. Tala wasn't all that overprotective of them, in fact, he enjoyed watching them get in trouble and then try to get out of it. But Tala was protective of his team when he felt something was amiss. And Lizeth having a seizure out of the blue was terribly amiss. The black haired girl looked away from the penetrating glare, and hugged herself.

"It's... a _condition_, I'm sick ok? Just... leave it" She said uncomfortably and Tala raised an eyebrow.

By now, Spencer was standing across from her, his back resting against a wall, and Ian was perching on Bryan's bed. She was still curled up next to Bryan though.

"That tells me nothing about it. And you know, it's high time you tell us what the _fuck_ is wrong with you. Don't get me wrong, I do get the 'leave-me-alone' message, but I really don't fancy you dying on our living room one day... and trust me I _know_ seizures can kill, I've seen it... and I _don't_ want to see it again" The redhead's tone was sharp, and Lizeth winced inwardly at it and refused to look at him.

"Just tell us what's wrong and we'll leave you alone, hell _Tala_ didn't sleep, in case you're wondering, and by the looks of it, neither did Bryan" Ian pointed out with a risen eyebrow and Lizeth look away, while Tala and Bryan glared at the shrimp "Speak up and then we all go back to sleep" The Wench shook her head and snarled at him.

The Spencer spoke, in that calm passive voice that sooth them even without releasing it... and that promise trouble for everyone involved.

"Perhaps we should settle this as _we_ do, I've seen you blade Lizeth, would you mind a demonstration? A little bet" His eyes were sparkling, and nothing good came when the oldest and sharpest of the Demolition Boys started _twinkling_.

Black eyes narrowed slightly, and she straightened as she glared over at him. Her hands curled into fists as she glared up at them. Ian, Tala and Bryan glanced over their blond friend curiously... and slightly nervous.

"The catch" She spoke in an unnerving steady voice and Spencer smirked.

"You know the drift, if you win, we'll leave you alone, completely, we do, and not only will you spill out the story, you _will_ join the team, with all that means" Ian spluttered at that, Bryan raised an eyebrow, and Tala frowned deeply.

_What the hell was Spencer thinking?_

The blond however, seemed quite smug and that was pissing Lizeth off. With a growl, she stood up and produced her launcher and blade from her pocket, glaring and snarling at him.

"You're on"

Still wondering what was going on, the remaining D-Boys followed their teammate and the fuming female outside. Lizeth didn't seem to mind the cold, nor the fact she was still trembling slightly, her eyes were practically glowing with the challenge. As for Spencer, Tala had rarely seen their friend in such an amused state. Ian was grumbling under his breath, while Bryan seemed deep in thought. He himself had on more than once fall victim of Spencer's _pranks_, the blond had a very defined sense of humor, and his flexible morals made him a dangerous enemy. Yes, you didn't want him against you... but why did he _offered_ Lizeth to become part of their team? True, he _knew_ first hand she had destructive power, and a good deal of it, but why did the blond considered her good enough for them? Musing to himself he realized they had already reached the dish, and that Lizeth was hastily readying her launcher and blade. Three pairs of eyes turned to look at Spencer, who was actually _grinning_. Ian had the sinking feeling they were being manipulated by the taller boy, just as Tala was assuming, but _what_ did Spencer want?

"So who's gonna go for her? Or I should go?" Spencer said with a smirk, and that definitely ticked Tala off.

"I'll go, but I'm telling you, I want a word with you when this whole mess is over" The red head said with a warning glare, but Spencer's mood didn't waver in the least. Ian was definitely nervous now, while Bryan's eyes narrowed dangerously "Ok, I don't really know what's going on, but you are on Wench" Onyx eyes narrowed dangerously, as Tala raised up a manual launcher and prepared Wolborg.

"Stop blabbing and get blading" Tala raised a crimson eyebrow, quickly followed by the other as the black and red Beyblade shot forward into the dish.

She had technique, and power, he had to admit that. Without another word, the crimson haired teen shot his trustable silver blade and watched as both blades fought for dominance. Wolborg was attacking just as fiercely as always, but Lizeth's blade wasn't going to let him win. Eyes, as cold as black ice regarded him flaring up with bottled up anger. He realized he was going to pay for everyone who had dared to hurt her before.

And somehow that shook something akin to fear into his veins.

"Wolborg, _Myetyel_" The order was uttered, his voice betraying non of his concerns, and in a bright blue light, the ice wolf emerged in it's full glory.

Lizeth's right eyebrow shot up as Wolborg howled and casted a powerful blizzard over himself. The overpowered blade charged against her own, sending it backwards a bit, it's powerful attack making it wobble slightly, and the bit beast in it's core glowed in response to the fierce attack. But as she grounded her teeth together, she ignored the pain that cursed her whole body; she'd suffered from worst, and she was still there. Snarling, her eyes _glowed_ crimson.

"SHERAK" It wasn't an order, nor it was a command. It was a demand.

With a deafening screech, the majestic fire dragon arose, it's unnatural black eyes shinning with the same fire as Lizeth's were. Tala's eyes widened a fraction as he drank in the sight of the fierce creature. His eyes narrowed and he frowned.

"Attack again!" Tala ordered sharply and the fierce wolf obeyed, launching itself against the dragon.

"Sherak!" Lizeth snarled again, and to their surprise, a real hurricane of fire erupted from her blade, crashing forcefully against Wolborg.

Tala glared at her as she grounded her teeth and mentally ordered Wolborg to attack. The snow wolf dodged the dragon's attacks, not without effort, and sank it's fangs deep in the dragon's left leg. Lizeth and Sherak cried out in pain in unison, and four pairs of eyes widened as her pants' stained with blood on her left tight. Tala's eyes ran from the bit beast to the girl, before realization hit him full force.

"You're bounded to it" He said quietly, and Lizeth glared at him.

"So what if I am?" She snapped back, bitterness in her voice, Tala shook his head.

"If I hurt her, I hurt you, Wolborg-" He was taken aback by the sheer hate emanating from her, her eyes and the dragon's glowed together as she stood, shakily, and held herself together.

"I take pity from no one Ivanov, SHERAK, _CLOMAIIYY AL_!" Lizeth snarled venomously, and four pairs of eyes widened as the dragon exploited into a ball of fire.

"I'll have non of this, Wolborg, _EIMA_!" Tala yelled just in time for his bit beast to counter the attack.

Both blades circled each other, attacking and trying to force each other from the dish. There was a bright light, and Lizeth cried out in pain.

When the brightness died, they saw Tala's blade spinning next to Lizeth's beaten blade. Lizeth had fallen to her knees, and small slashes covered both her arms, and her torn pants. A smirk crawled to her face, before she passed out on the snow.

* * *

"Aw hell" Lizeth muttered as she came around.

She wished her world would stop spinning, and that the dull ache in her legs would fade away. An amused chuckle made her bolt upright. Tala, white cloth in hand, looked at her amused.

"Nice you have you back Wench. Give us a good spook with that battle" The redhead said with a petulant smirk, before she remembered what had happened. A snicker caused her to look around and realize where she was.

She was back in her room, where Tala was dealing with most of the wounds she had acquired in the battle. Bryan was laying on his own bed, prompt on one elbow and watching her intently, with a mix of curiosity, amusement and something she couldn't quite point out. Ian was sitting on a chair smirking at her with a somewhat good natured smirk, while Spencer, resting against the door frame was still watching her with something akin to amusement. Just then she realized she was half undressed, wearing only her exercise bra and panties. She pulled away from the redhead.

"Stop acting like a girl" Tala said with a prominent roll of his eyes, after Lizeth dodged a few touches of the cloth. Lizeth stared at him with a risen eyebrow, while the three other boys snorted. Tala sweatdroped "Oh, ok... my bad" He said a bit sheepishly and Lizeth rolled her eyes "But stop being so paranoid and let me clean that wound, trust me, you don't want it infected"

Lizeth grunted in annoyance and tried to sit, but Tala held her down.

"Nope, you stay down, like I said before, I don't really fancy you dying, so now you'll be nice, stay in bed and tell us what's going on... oh, by the way, welcome to the team and congratulations on being the first Demolition _Boy_..." He said the last part with pure amusement as she growled at him, while Ian snickered, Bryan snorted and Spencer chuckled slightly "Who's actually a _girl_"

She fell back and covered her face with her hands.

"_Fuck **off**_"

* * *

_Notes for this chapter:_

_Russian names are formed by three parts, the given name (aka, Yuri, Vladimir, Alexei, etc), the Patronymic (Mihailovich, Ivanovich, Pietrovich, etc) and the last name (Sokolov, Ivanova, Smildrilova, etc) The patronymic comes from the father name and is used to tell apart brothers from husband/wives, as well as homonyms. Patronymics have a female and a male form too, which also separates gender. Ex. Ivan would give Ivanovich for males, Ivanovna for females. The last name has two forms too, a female and a male one. Ivanov and Ivanova are the same last name. Hope that sorts your doubts out._

Myetyel: _Blizzard._

Clomaiiyy Al: _Broken Hell._

Eima:_ Winter._

Krasny:_ Red._

Odraeietz:_ Phoenix._

Yeah, that pun on Kai was very well intended. P

Tata, see you next chapter... and leave a review, will you?


	4. Chapter Four

_(A/N) Well, I fixed up the problem with the disclaimers and all the author notes I had forgotten to post... I also added translation to all the Russian words and some general notes on things I consider difficult to understand about Russian culture... I have the advantage of having a pair of dysfunctional yet very normal Russian brothers as my information base... don't you love them?_

_Anyway, I hope you like the new style of the writing and I'll have to make a note of something. They are in Russia, they **are** Russians, and so they **are** speaking Russian, unless I clearly tell you otherwise. Oh and for those who wonder about Lizeth's split personality disorder... she's just open with people she knows and trusts, whereas she's hostile and cold to those she's nervous or afraid of._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, but I own the plot and the original characters._

_

* * *

_

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Four, Truths, Fights and Meetings._**

There was a round of snickers while Lizeth wished the bed would pity her and swallow her whole, as Tala was busy nursing her wounded tight. Wolborg's fangs were sharp, and they were incredibly long too. Lucky her, Sherak's skin was thick and hard.

"So, our dear beloved Wench, _what_ is going on?" Tala asked as he finished cleaning the opened wound. Lizeth glared at him for good measure, but the redhead just shrugged sheepishly. She sighed loudly.

"There's no bloody way off the hook, is it?" She asked rather tiredly and Ian snorted loudly.

"If you find one, tell me about it... it's never worked for me" The dark haired teen said with a dry sigh and she snickered.

"Guess I should tell you, maybe I could get rid of you?" She asked dryly, and this time Spencer snorted.

"Fat chance" The green eyed teen said with a smirk, and Lizeth rolled his eyes.

"So, like I said before, I'm sick, it's really no big deal... now that I can control it anyway" She said shuddering slightly "Basically I've got a bit of a neural problem and my brain doesn't produce enough of a certain chemical, and when it reaches a critical point, I get the seizure. If I don't take the pills within a seven hour range, I fall unconscious, then comes a coma and in less than twelve hours death. Simple as that" She shrugged at the implications, but the others seemed to realize that if she didn't made a fuss out of it, they shouldn't either "It helps if I eat a lot of fruit too, apples specially... but still I hadn't have a seizure that strong in about three years now" She gave them a half smirk "Sorry to disappoint you, you'll have to deal with the _Wench_ for a long while still" Tala chuckled at that, while Ian snorted, and Bryan and Spencer smirked.

"My, my who would've said you actually had some wit behind the glare, very nice if I might add... go to sleep, with all the love from the bottom of my heart... you look like shit" Lizeth raised an eyebrow at the redhead's antics, but there was a round of snickers in the room and she rolled her eyes.

"Yes _Mother_" She deadpanned and Ian snorted loudly, and while Spencer chuckled, Bryan's lip twitched.

"Get used to it" The redhead said cheekily, before throwing the covers over her "C'mon guys, let's give the _lady_ space for her" Snort "_Beauty Sleep_"

"Leave her alone Tala, you don't want her to beat you up... _again_" Spencer pointed out mockingly and the blue eyed boy glared, though he didn't comment, and rather left with a hn "Night Wench" Spencer said shrugging and marching off after his team Capitan. Lizeth blinked at him.

"Go to sleep... though I know it's hard with Bryan's snores and all, but trust me, if I can do it, so can you" Ian said with a smirk as he ducked when Bryan growled at him.

Lizeth frowned as he disappeared with a mocking bow, and turned slightly confused black eyes towards Bryan, he smirked as he settled in his own bed, looking at the ceiling.

"Ignore the shrimp" He said simply and Lizeth nodded, though he didn't see it "It's been long since we took in someone new, Ian's just being... _himself_. He'll get over it and stop the fuss in a few days" Lizeth smiled slightly when she realized this was the first real conversation they were having. And snickered.

"What's with the blond? Split personality disorder or something?" She asked curiously and Bryan smirked knowingly.

"Not really, he's a manipulative little sod though" Bryan shrugged "Tala's actually the one with the personality issues... it's rather, _unnerving_... from sunny goody two shoes into ballistic berserk wolf in two seconds... it used to drive Kai insane" The lavender teen snickered at that, and he turned to look at her, and found her snickering as well.

"It would drive me mad as well" She admitted smirking, white fang poking under her lip. Bryan decided he liked that smirk "And what about you?"

A pale eyebrow was raised, and a smile crawled to his lips.

"I am who I am. And you know it" He said petulantly, reaching to turn the lights out "Go to sleep Wench, I'm tired"

Lizeth chuckled slightly at that and turned away, curling in bed. Whatever Tala had rubbed on her skin really made her feel better.

"Night Bryan"

Or maybe was the fact that they hadn't mock her.

"Hn"

Either way, she felt warmer than she had in months.

* * *

Something had changed that day though, and everyone could see it. Krystal was surprised to see Lizeth walking the next day, much more relaxed than ever, as Ian kept rambling on some non sense. It was then when she realized the redhead was closely behind, watching her with the same eye he watched his own. She decided not to comment on it, and rather watch from aside, ready to interfere when needed though.

"-so in conclusion, no, I don't" Ian finally finished his tirade, and Lizeth smirked.

"I'm _sure_" The black haired teen said with a smirk and Ian twitched "That you feel nothing of this" Sneer "_Rubbish_, Spencer talks about, and we should rather ignore all the blatant evidence that points otherwise, to believe on your one true word"

Ian _flushed_ at that. Spencer smirked, while Tala snickered. The redhead flung an arm around her shoulders, and smirked at her. Her shoulders tensed a bit, but the redhead pretended not to notice.

"Had I know you would be such a good Ian teaser, I'd have add you to the team earlier" He said teasingly, and Lizeth gave him a lopsided smirk. Relaxing again under his touch.

"Ah ha, and I'd have graciously agreed of course" Lizeth said dryly, looking at him with a impassive look "After all, who can resist the charms of Mr. Egocentrically"

Spencer and Ian snickered at that, while Tala threw her a dirty look.

"You all say the same, but you love me in the end" The redhead said with a soft huff, before dropping his arm and continue walking towards Lunch.

Rounds of snorts were his answers.

* * *

"I suddenly have this feeling I'm being manipulated" Tala grumbled under his breath, and Bryan, next to him snorted.

"Might have something to do with the fact that we _are_ being manipulated" The moonlight eyed teen said though clenched teeth "_Again_"

"I hate Spencer" Ian declared darkly straining to keep on his feet.

Lizeth simply growled in animalistic fashion, and the conversation was over. Vladimir and Spencer were standing nearby, looking with equally amused expressions as the rest of the team pushed the _huge_ tree trunk up the hill. This was their work for the session. _Team_work session.

Supposedly.

And once again Spencer had handed in his manipulative talents and end up doing nothing while the other four pushed the darn thing upwards. In the end, four teens were trying to glare a hole though Vlad's and Spencer's heads, while dragging cold, wet and sore half corpses to the cabin.

The blond had the nerve to look smug.

* * *

"I'm sure you would like to know why I called you" Krystal said seriously, looking at Tala curiously.

"That would be nice" The red head shrugged and Krystal nodded, before dropping a huge pile of files in front of the redhead.

He jumped slightly, before looking at Krystal with a risen eyebrow. She sighed.

"You know, that day, when you bursted in here like a mad man and demanded me to know what was wrong with Lizeth, I thought you would try to take advantage of her" Tala frowned, but Krystal raised her hand to stop him from arguing "Let me finish, I _thought_ you would try to take advantage of her. You must know Tala, when she arrived here, she wouldn't let _anyone_ touch her. Nothing. We had to _sedate_ her to make her eat, because she was trying to starve herself to death. She was quite like an animal, and trust me, not everyone was willing to take their chances with her. _I_ did, and I'm not about to let _anyone_ go and mess with all the hard work I've done, and all the time I've spent in her. Enter you four, with records that shook _fear_ into the directives of Moscow's and St. Petersburg's Rehabilitation Centers, what would you have done, had you been in my place?"

"I would have mistrusted" The redhead answered firmly "But you must realize, that those records are what they gathered out of Voltair's and Boris' handiwork, not ours"

"Oh I know that, _now_. I know you aren't the angry destructive aggressive monsters those files said you were, and trust me, they have been updated, but what did I have to judge you then? I didn't know you, and I didn't know if I could trust you" She smiled at him fondly "Now I know I can" She pushed the files towards him, her eyes looking serious again "This is Lizeth's record. I want you to read it"

"I-"

"You are trying hard to give my girl what I can't, and for that I respect you Ivanov, much more than you can imagine, and that's why I know nothing of this will get out of this room, am I correct?"

"You have my word Madame"

"Good, I want you to tell me something when you're done though, if you regret taking her in"

"Of course not!"

"Read Tala, read and then you answer me"

* * *

Minutes ticked by, slowly turning into hours, the redhead sat in the office, skimming though the files, his insides tying in knots at each moment, blind anger burning within him, before dread settled in.

The files described clearly and detailed all of Lizeth's life, documents, medical records; his throat went dry as he reached the last part of the report, the last year before she entered the center. His fingers tightened in the paper, wanting to tear the offending thing in pieces, but he knew that wouldn't change the facts.

When he was done, 3 hours later, he organized the whole pile again and left it in the desk, left a small note next to it, and went to walk into the woods. The cold breeze felt good and helped him try to get a hold of his own emotions.

The small note was scraped in handwriting much more messy than usual:

_A wolf will never quit on it's pack, no mattering how bad things get._

* * *

"Tala?" Lizeth asked frowning slightly when she met the redhead in the forest "You ok?"

The redhead seemed stressed and he was soaked, apparently he had been in the snow for far too long, and hadn't even realized the sun had already set.

"Huh? Oh, eh, nothing wrong Wench" He said shrugging, but his eyes looked a bit distant and in general he looked too tired. Lizeth's frown deepened, but shrugged.

"C'mon, it's time for dinner, the others are waiting for you" She said tilting her head to the side, and Tala bit his lip.

_How can she be so... _normal_ after all the hell she's been through? Krystal's right, we can't screw it... she doesn't deserve that. _No one_ deserves that._

He smiled at her and nodded, before shivering slightly.

"Ok, let's go... I lost track of time" He said simply and she nodded.

"That's an understandment... what were you doing? Looking for a nice female wolf?" She asked teasingly, and he gave her an evil glare.

"Hey! Give me some credit!"

She snickered, but from there on they spent the rest of the walk back to the center in silence. When the lights of the cabins appeared in the distance, Tala sighed.

"Lizeth?" He asked quietly and she turned around, a slight frown in her forehead at the use of her name.

"Yes?"

"Promise me something will you?"

"What?"

"Never let anyone tell you what you should be" He said with a sincere smile and Lizeth's eyes widened.

"Do you-"

"Everything... but I won't say a word" He said seriously, offering a hand.

She looked nervously around, as if waiting for someone else to appear, then looked from his hand to his eyes, and surprisingly didn't find pity in them. It was respect, bare and raw for the world to see and she nodded, taking his hand and letting him pull her into a supportive hug.

"Everything will be fine, Liz, I promise it will"

* * *

"-And so, the cell divides itself, creating an exact duplicate of itself" The Biology professor said rather cheerfully, finally drawing a big circle over the last drawing in the blackboard "So, that's Mitosis in a nutshell, any questions?" She smiled at them "Yes Tala?"

"Mind starting over since, _Mitosis is_?" The redhead asked looking aghast. The teacher chuckled "Seriously though, does this come in the monthly?" He asked, begging to any God listening the answer was no.

"Yep, it does. In fact is three quarters of it, so I'd advise any of you who share Mr. Ivanov's troubles with cells and their issues to start revising" She grinned evilly "A lot. Class Dismissed"

The class groaned as they picked their stuff and started walking to the patio, while Tala grumbled about evil Biology teachers of hell. It had been three weeks already since they had arrived to the Center, and while they had pretty much adapted and made somewhat a circle of friends at school, they were still somewhat hermetic when it came to strangers.

"I'm _so_ failing that crap subject" The redhead said with remorse and the infamous 'Size-doesn't-matter-so-stop-staring' Duo snorted.

Tala really preferred to call them Hell forsaken Shrimps of the World United, but Spencer said that wasn't nice.

"Of _course_, it is a _crap_ subject" Ian said grinning. Mel sighed dramatically.

"But there _must_ be a reason _why_ you can't seem to pass it" The blond girl said with a nasty smirk and Tala glared daggers at both.

"Of course, if you bothered to write your notes in _Russian_, and not in that mass of scrawls you call handwriting, then _maybe_ you'd be doing better" Irina said with a grin and Tala throw her a nasty look.

"Aw c'mon, not you too Rina!" The redhead said dramatically, and the blue haired girl giggled slightly at the nickname, when a mop of purple hair caught his attention "Hey Lin, would you _terribly_ mind lending me your notes for this weekend?" The redhead asked with a grin and the blunette raised a cynical eyebrow, while Celine gave off an exaggerated sigh.

"Fine, but if you don't bring them on Monday, _intact_, I'll set Derrick on you, and you know I will" The girl said with a slight warning glance, putting a loose strand of purple hair behind her ear.

"Huh?" Derrick asked blinking, looking up at them confused. Celine rolled his eyes.

"Nothing 'Rick, go back to daydreams" Irina said with a teasing wink patting his back, and he sighed.

"Whatever"

* * *

"Stay _still_" Lizeth growled annoyed and Ian smiled sheepishly, sparing a glare for the snickering Spencer, who simply shrugged and went to sit with Bryan.

They had discovered Lizeth had an innate talent for drawing, another thing she shared with Bryan, but while his work held life within it, Lizeth was still lacking in mere the details that gave it the spark of life. And of course, Ian was proving to be a not useful model. Much to Spencer's and Bryan's amusement, the Shrimp didn't want to stay put for a few moments for Lizeth to get the drawing done. Ian was sitting Indian style on the small table in the living room, while Lizeth was sitting on the floor with her back against a couch, where Bryan was laying lazily and looking over her shoulder to her work. Spencer was resting against the arm of the couch smirking amused at Ian, who was trying hard not to twitch.

For a few minutes it seemed that the problem was solved as Lizeth started doing the hair and Ian was holding back pretty well until he threw his hands over his head and generally snarled to the air.

"ARG! Enough crap!" Ian jumped off the table and stormed away.

Three teens blinked surprised and slightly confused at the sudden declaration, before they walked over to the window just in time to see the Shrimp reaching the edge of the woods.

"Want me to call Mel over then?" Spencer told them in an unnecessary loud voice, and Ian winced, turned and gave them the Ultimate Glare of Doom©.

Lizeth shook her head and rescue her notebook, setting to work again, while Bryan lay on the couch again. Spencer snickered and went into his room, emerging seconds later with Seaborg in hand.

"Bastard" Lizeth and Bryan snorted rolling their eyes, not even looking up at him as Spencer bowed.

"Compliments will take you no where children" At the blank expressions, he shrugged and walked away, probably to annoy Ian even further.

"I reckon" Bryan said suddenly "This' been the longest time the Shrimp's stayed put. Kai's temper tantrums put aside"

Lizeth smiled and threw a hand to slap the lavender haired teen lightly.

"Ass" She declared, turning back to work, while Bryan snorted.

"Wench" The moonlight eyed teen retorted, looking up the ceiling.

A comfortable silence settled in the room, barely broken by the scraps of the pencil in the paper.

* * *

"Fine, so what if I do!" Ian bellowed at Spencer, flushed, annoyed and practically willing death to the blond. Spencer simply shrugged.

"There. Was that so freaking hard?" The blond asked, challenge in his voice, and Ian sighed rubbing his temples, the blonde's expression softened slightly "I don't really think Tala will mind... as long as you don't fall behind" He said somewhat sympathetically and Ian snorted.

"Some part of me dearly wants to pull your eyes out for this... but the major one is rather content it was you and not Tala who figured it out" The blue haired teen dropped on the snow near the dish, not daring to look up at his friend.

"Or Kai" Spencer mused with a slight smirk and Ian winced sharply at that one.

"Gods I'm so doomed" Ian muttered absently, running a finger over Wyborg's sharp edge. Spencer smiled sympathetically at his friend's despair and sat next to him, pocketing Seaborg.

While Ian and Kai had spent almost all their lives inside the Abby, Spencer had entered the hellhole much more later, when his personality and his morals had already been shaped, and he merely adapted to his new _home_. Spencer's parents had been permissive to say the least when it concerned their son, but with such freedom, came great responsibility of one's self, and the emerald eyed teen had learnt that at a short age. The blonde's eyes twinkled with the wisdom of a street rat, and it was said wisdom that had saved their team ass on more than one occasion back at the abbey.

"Cheer up Shrimp, I'm sure she feels the same" Ian gave him a disbelieving look at that one, and Spencer simply shrugged it away "Call it instinct, but females usually don't glue to a guy otherwise" At the 'glued' comment, the Shrimp promptly blushed again, making the blond roll his eyes.

This was _not_ his department. Romantic relationships belonged to... _hers_. He snorted inwardly, but shook himself from his thoughts, and gave the short boy a smirk.

"Tell you what" The blond said suddenly "Ask her out for Autumn Ball"

Just after the first round of monthly exams finished, and around October 7th, the school organized a ball celebrating the start of autumn, and somewhat the end of the long days, and the sun. Autumn was a symbolic name in the cold plains of Siberia, mostly it lasted a month, and that was when winter hit full force.

"I must be going insane, or more so than I already was, because you're making sense to me" Ian said with a dry chuckle, tilting his head upwards to smirk at Spencer.

"Hn, if you bothered to listen to me more often, you wouldn't be in this whole mess"

"If I bothered to listen to you more often, I would be stuck doing double homework"

"That too"

* * *

That Friday had been a nightmare. Math exam had been a torture, Biology results were handed out, and the autumn ball had been announced.

That made the female population of the class, obviously excluding Lizeth, to squeak in delight, while the other half groaned quite loudly. Ian started fidgeting ever since. Later on, in Drama class, while Boris bored them to death with his lecture on dramatic exposition, Spencer, not bearing any longer, looked out though the window... and did a double take. He cranked his neck forward, but all he caught was a glimpse of sandy blond hair disappearing behind a corner. Frowning, he turned back to class, but his mind was elsewhere. Ian noticed, but he knew better than to mess with Spencer and his mood swings.

* * *

"I'm glad you've chosen our school Miss Pavlova, I'm sure you'll find it to be enjoyable" Tatiana said as her eyes swept though her lithe frame.

She was rather short for her age, even with the high heeled boots she was wearing, she still seemed to be small, yet her body was well proportioned. She was wearing a pair of loose denim baggy pants that were hoisted to her slim waist by a black leather belt, a high necked sleeveless red shirt with leather straps around it, while she wore a black cotton jacket over it. A silver chain with a pendant hung from her neck as she wore black cotton bicker gloves. Her hair was a sandy blond, almost leaning to brown, that reached her shoulders, while her eyes were a violent shade of purple that held an amused light within them. She was more on the undeveloped side, her body looking a bit plane, but she didn't seem to mind it at all.

Tatiana looked down at her school history with surprise. Top grades, coming from one of the toughest schools in Moscow, she was quite surprised on her choice of school.

"If it's possible, would you tell me why you've chosen to move here, Miss Pavlova?" She asked cautionously, but the girl simple shrugged, her smile never faltering.

"It's more peaceful than Moscow, and I really needed a change to prepare for the new tournament in two years" She her eyes brightened even more at that "And please, do call me Itza, I hate unnecessary formalities"

"Very well _Itza_, you may go. You shall start on Monday, I'll talk with your teachers, you'll be added into class B" The blond nodded and shrugged, before walking away, leaving Tatiana wondering "I'm sure I've seen her somewhere else before" The Russian ex-military muttered to herself, but waved it away as something trivial.

* * *

There was a shocked silence and Mel fell backwards holding her cheek in both shock and fear. Karen growled at her, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"That should teach you to close that godforsaken mouth of yours" The irate teen snarled and Mel shrunk back.

"No" Bryan whispered at Lizeth's ear, holding her back as she tried to go near Karen "Watch" He told her quietly, tilting his head forward, and her eyes widened a fraction.

Ian's eyes were frozen crimson slits as he snarled dangerously at Karen.

"Dare you to do that to me" The unnerving icy tone made Karen turn and glare at him, before smirking and throwing a solid punch towards the navy haired blader.

Ian caught his hand on his own, closing the vice grip over it. The Shrimp had much more force than most people gave him credit for. Karen glared and tried to pull it back, but found it impossible to pry himself free from Ian's hold. Slowly, Ian started to tighten his hold, crushing Karen's hand painfully. He pulled the other teen to his knees, until they were eye level, and glared coldly into his eyes.

"Lay a hand on her again, and it'll be more than your pretty hand I'll crush" The crimson eyed teen snarled, and Karen let out a cry of pain as there was a sick crack from his hand.

Ian let him go, bearing his teeth in warning, while the taller teen, held his hand in pain, glaring daggers at him. Ian raised an eyebrow, and pulled Mel with him, before both of them walked away, Mel looking nervously around, while Ian didn't even bother to look back.

Karen growled and stormed away, brushing next to Bryan and Lizeth.

"That was quite unexpected" The raven haired teen mused with a risen eyebrow and Bryan shrugged.

"People always picked on Ian, but after a while he started fighting back. He doesn't look like it, and trust me, it takes a trip half way to hell to make him snap, but when he does, he's quite a force to reckon with... it runs in the family I guess" The lavender haired teen shrugged, and Lizeth smirked.

The roommates had reached somewhat a partnership. They usually respected each other's space, and specially the silence that always reigned their room, because they knew the other was in there, and somehow didn't need to talk to each other for trivialities. Lizeth wasn't as anti social as Ian gave her credit for though. The raven haired teen had clear points of view and wasn't afraid to speak them. She had proved them on more than once she was no push over, and they in general respect her for it. Tala still matched his wit with her, trying to get under her skin from time to time, and Spencer always enjoyed a discussion with her, but surprisingly it was Ian she got along better with. With Bryan though, she liked to stay in silence, as if it was their special way to understand each other.

"Seems Mel dear has a date for the ball already, though" Lizeth snickered and Bryan snorted.

"_Seems_?"

* * *

Tala half ran though the corridors, trying in vain to reach the chemistry classroom in time, when he unexpectedly crashed with someone. This someone happened to be Itza. The blond squeaked and held the first thing she could to stop from falling, which happened to be some portable steps, which wobbled, and in turn, dropped a bucket of water on top of a slightly surprised Tala, who blinked surprised at his now wet state.

"Watch where you're going _Sugar_, where's the fire?" Itza asked with a risen eyebrow, smirking at Tala, who scowled.

"Oh get lost" The redhead snorted, before remembering he had a class to take and trying to start running again.

"Whatever you say... _Wonder Pup_" Itza called back and watched satisfied as Tala cringed mid stride, and whirled around to glare at her.

"Wench" The blue eyed boy said frowning and she snickered, bowing mockingly.

"Compliments will take you nowhere child... much less to the place you were heading, before coming across yours truly" Itza smirked as Tala's eyes widened a fraction, before he left with a soundly.

"_Shit_"

* * *

"Why were you late on Chemistry? Duvloff threw quite a fit" Ian snickered and Tala scowled.

"I met this bitch when I was running to class, she started pesting me and I got distracted" Tala shrugged "Hadn't seen her before though"

"Maybe she's a transfer student, don't you think Spence?" Ian asked and the blond, who was frowning and looking out the window blinked.

"Huh? What?" He asked when he realized Tala and Ian were looking at him curiously "Sorry, wasn't paying attention"

"Oh _thank you_ Bryan, your absent mind-ness is contagious!" Tala snickered and the lavender haired teen frowned, growling slightly.

"Oh you four shut up" Lizeth said with a roll of her eyes "Don't make my migraine worse... and don't force me to hurt you in ways no human being should ever be hurted" They snickered at that, and the Wench smirked "Not that you can be considered humans in the first place"

She smirked at the four dirty looks she got.

* * *

_Notes for this chapter:_

_I've already planted some the seeds of the main relationships in the fic, which will all be quite clear, except the one between Itza, Spencer and Tala, but since those three move the main part of the story, I'm not ruining it telling you who will end up with whom... although Ian and Mel are quite blatant if you ask me. Lol_

_Leave a review please, and see you on next chapter._


	5. Chapter Five

_(A/N) I know, I know, I'm the wench from hell 'cause I didn't update in such a long time... but hey, life's not fair, and it's even more unfair to reptilians such as yours truly. This time I think I have no comments except I'll present you to one of the most difficult original characters I've created, and I mean that it's difficult to work with her without entering Mary-Sue realm. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, but I own the plot and the original characters._

* * *

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Five, Simply Itza._**

On Monday, their Math teacher was excited by something, which put them on guard about it. The pale blue haired woman smiled broadly as she passed attendance and hushed the class into silence. No one had expected what she announced.

"Well, now that you've finally given into silence, I've got an exciting announcement to make" Her bright blue eyes were beaming with amusement.

"Please, please let it not be a pop quiz, God I swear I'll be good" Ian muttered in his seat, making Spencer snicker at him.

"Don't think that'll work" The blond said amusedly, turning to his bag to take out a notebook.

"We have a new student with us!" The teacher announced proudly, and there were several snickers, risen eyebrows and blank expressions in the room. Spencer rolled his eyes while he looked inside his bag "Miss Pavlova, you may enter now" The teacher said cheerfully.

Itza entered the room then, and at the same time there was a loud the _'hell_' before Spencer fell to the ground, efficiently shocked. The violet eyed teen smirked.

"I always said you were awfully clumsy" Itza said with a grin, and Spencer scowled, already recovered from his shock, and threw her a dirty look.

"And I always said you had this bad habit of popping out of the blue" The green eyed teen retorted glaring darkly, causing her to smirk.

"You know each other?" The teacher asked surprised, voicing the room's exact same thoughts.

"Unfortunately" Both teens deadpanned at the same time, before chuckling slightly.

"Oh... well, Itza why don't you introduce yourself to the class? I'm sure Spencer will be delighted to share a sit with you and show you around the school... Ian move next to Lizeth please"

Ian shrugged, sending Spencer and Itza weird looks, before settling in the vacant space next to Lizeth, who raised an eyebrow at him.

"Don't look at me, I know as much as you do" The navy haired teen whispered shrugging.

"Ok, so, I'm Maritza Pavlova... call me Itza, and I'm 17 years old. What else, what else?" Itza seemed a bit puzzled on what else to say, when Spencer snorted and smirked at her.

"Forgot to mention you're the reincarnation of the Masked Spawn from Hell maybe?" The blond said under his breath with a smirk and she shrugged, smirking slightly.

"Well, I'm generally easy going so, I don't get annoyed easily... as dear _Wonder Pup_ there does" Tala scowled at her slightly, while she winked at him "... and I guess that'd be all... or am I forgetting something else, Sugar?" Spencer rolled his eyes at the last word.

Tala watched the interaction interested, half amused, half confused. He did fancy himself of knowing Spencer a good deal, but he truly couldn't find a reason why his friend and teammate would befriends with the girl. She looked like a bitchy bimbo to him anyway.

"Er... thank you Itza, now, returning to our business, who remembers what we saw last class?" The teacher soon entered lecture mode and set on her class without bothering to check on her new student.

"_Masked Spawn from Hell_?" Itza whispered and Spencer smirked.

"Oh, you rather I said _Second Greatest Manipulative Little Sod of the Galaxy_?" The blond challenged and Itza frowned.

"_Second_?"

"Are you forgetting about me?" Spencer smirked and she rolled her eyes.

"Egocentric Bastard"

"Aw, you wouldn't have me any other way"

"Shut up"

* * *

"And so, that would end our painfully boring but otherwise necessary tour though this hell pit, otherwise referred to as school" Spencer finished bowing mockingly, Itza snickered.

"Oh please, spare me, no need to hear you go on _'I'm-at-your-service'_ mode, Heaven's know I've got enough psychological scars as it is" That set both friends on a chuckling fit.

Tala, Ian, Mel, Lizeth and Bryan were following the pair at a prudent distance, all curious at Spencer's sudden change of behavior. They were surprised to find the blond smiling at her a few times, genuinely amused by her antics as well as she was of his.

"So, do you still blade? Or since I wasn't there you got your head stuck between that ribbon and ring of yours?" Spencer asked rising a challenge eyebrow and she tilted her head upwards.

"Sokolov, you've got three seconds to take that back, or Dagger and I will have to kick that nice piece of arse you were gifted with" Itza said seriously and Spencer started laughing.

"Do try! I'd like to see that" Spencer said with a superiority smirk "And don't praise my arse. I don't need the mental image" He added as an after thought as he sobered, Itza snickered, attaching herself to his arm.

"Fine, lead the way, oh you so powerful friend of mine. Start walking your green mile" Itza snickered, and Spencer rolled his eyes.

"Always so confident... I could almost bet you haven't launched that thing in years" The green eyed teen said with a smirk and Itza scowled.

"I still train... blading helps me deal with equilibrium and stress, it's useful" The violet eyed teen informed him with a grin, and they made the rest of their walk towards one of the empty dishes in the backyard.

* * *

The bell rang, signaling the end of the recess period and both blonds blinked. Spencer scowled as both casted their blades back, Itza was looking particularly smug.

"You owe me" The violet eyed teen said with glee and Spencer's scowl deepened.

"Yeah, yeah, later"

"Yes, _later_" Itza smirked "And I already have something in mind"

The blond Demolition Boy cringed at the tone and threw his childhood friend a nasty glare.

"Darn you to hell"

"You know you don't really mean that"

"Hn"

* * *

"No" Spencer growled at Itza, and the blonde smirked.

"Aw, c'mon... you _owe_ me" She said with a sort of pathetic half dying sheep look that made Spencer's left eyebrow twitch.

Both were walking downstairs towards their Biology lab, the last class of the day.

Tala and the others hadn't got a chance to speak with either of them, simply because both seemed to be stucked together. The redhead as well as his teammates was quite curious as to why the shorter girl was allowed so much freedom with his personal space, she was practically clinging to him all the time. And their conversation topics seemed completely alien to them, specially because the few stray comments they said out loud, while they seemed to be whispering the rest.

"No. Way. In. The. Soding. Hell." The blond punctuate each word with a glare "A trick, yes, a date, maybe, but no way I'm doing that"

They walked though the long corridor towards the lab, carrying their school bags, dragging in Spencer's case.

"But why?" Itza kept pressing the issue, looking at him somewhat hurted somewhat amused.

"'Cause I'm not even going!" Spencer said exasperated and she pouted slightly.

"Aw c'mo - _eeiii_" She squeaked as she stepped over some water dripping right at the door of the lab and slid, barely catching the frame of the door and steadying herself, before glaring daggers at Spencer.

"You were saying I was awfully what?" Spencer said dryly, smirking mockingly at her while he rose an eyebrow in amusement, and her eyes darkened.

"Shut it _Nicky_ or I'll shut it for you" She growled at him with a snarl, Spencer spluttered, but she was already in her table when he reacted.

Snarling some unpleasantly towards her under his breath, he made his way to the table he shared with the team and set to glare a hole though Itza's head though the rest of the class. Ian, however, had other plans.

"_Nicky_?" The navy haired teen asked incredous and Spencer glared at him.

"Spencer _Nikolayevich_ Sokolov" Spencer said through clenched teeth.

They winced at the snarl behind the words and sagely left their friend to fume his temper alone.

The rest of the class was finished in somewhat calmly; Itza sending Spencer smirks, the emerald eyed teen sending her death glares. When the class ended, Spencer picked all of his stuff and gave Itza a blank stare as she approached the table.

"Oh c'mon, drop the funk, you look like a PMS-ing Reah" Itza said with a roll of her eyes and Spencer snorted.

"Oh now that's it! The first one I could have forgiven, but that comparison is enough. Now I won't do it"

"_Spe-encer_" Itza whined as they made their way out of the classroom and into the hall, the blond shook his head with a slight glare.

"No"

"Oh c'mon, do this and I swear I'll behave... hell I will leave your two cented team alone!" The girl said exasperated and he stopped, turned and raised an eyebrow.

"No pranks?" He asked cautionously.

"Yes. No pranks, no manipulations, no nothing. I'll be the perfect little angel with them, and you too if you want me to" She said honestly and he sighed.

"Why do you want to go anyway? It's just a stupid ball!" His tone was the closest thing he could get to whining.

"Yeah, but you know I like dancing... and because I want to know other people, it's the perfect chance"

A dishearten sigh.

"Fine, we'll go" He gave in with a sigh and she grinned at him, giving him a sincere smile "But-"

"Spencer!"

"But, under the condition you behave... last time left enough scars as it is" He said with a slight glare and she laughed good heartedly.

"Love you, did you know that?" She said with a smile, rising up to drop a kiss in the corner of his mouth, and winked at him then.

"Yeah I do" He said smiling sincerely at her "You know I love you too, I just hate your manipulative tendencies" He said smirking, placing a bang of blond hair behind her ear.

"I learnt from the best" She said shrugging, before sighing and looking at her watch "I have to go... come home sometime will you? Mom will be _delighted_ to see you again"

"Oh yes, I can imagine that" Spencer said with a slight shudder "See you tomorrow brat"

"See you tomorrow prat"

Both parted ways looking relaxed, and Tala and the others could feel something different about Spencer as he sat down in his place. They were starting to wonder.

* * *

"We met when we were 7, I was the street rat at school, and she was the popular chick. Most people didn't understand why we were friends... until we set the auditorium on fire in fifth grade and blamed the seventh years for it" Spencer's eyes were twinkling with mirth over that particularly memory, while the four teens assorted in the living room stared at him and sweatdroped slightly.

"You set an auditorium on fire?" Tala rasped out, blinking and Spencer grinned.

"Actually we set the curtains it had in the stage on fire, the fact there were a few newspapers scattered on the floor and that a copious amount of gasoline had been spilled over them wasn't our fault" He snickered "_Really_" Four blank stares "Anyway, I was twelve when Boris enrolled me after I beat the crap out of one of his bladers, I entered the abbey, she continued on her own and we eventually stopped seeing each other all together when I entered the team and she entered some crap prep school. I hadn't seen her in almost four years"

"She seems a spoil rotten brat to me" Tala said plainly and Spencer smirked.

"Oh she is... until she actually turns towards you and makes your life living hell, aside from humiliating you the worst way possible" He snickered "Still it's your choice what you think about her... just don't come back telling me I didn't warn you" He was looking particularly smug about something, and they knew, by experience, that would be bad for someone.

"So it's better if we keep away from her?" Ian summarized but Spencer shrugged.

"Treat her pretty much like you treat me, 'cause she'll probably treat you pretty much the way I do"

"_Goody_" Lizeth and Bryan said dryly in unison, before blinking and looking at each other with mild surprise.

"In anyway, we have training to go, and if you don't mind, I've got things to do" Ian said with a roll of his eyes, but the other four raised their eyebrows considerably.

The Shrimp loathed training after school... which could only mean he was indeed busy. Tala grinned.

"Oh look, Ian's got a date!" The redhead said childishly and the navy haired teen glared at him for all he was worth "And hell, he's even mastered the family glare!"

He laughed good naturedly along with Spencer as Ian growled at them, while Bryan and Lizeth simply crossed looks of amusement.

* * *

Tala was sitting in the living room's loveseat, passing though their weekly post, which was still an amazingly lot, and separated it neatly into three piles; fan mail, personal, team matters. The activity had become a ritual of sorts, each Monday he sat down in the living room when the others were already asleep and went though their post in silence, he didn't really know how all those people found out where they were, but he had the nagging suspicion the newspapers in the capital had made a great deal about them.

He threw the dozen or so fan letters into a side, and bit back a snicker, as much as Bryan pretended to be a bastard, and not that he was denying the fact that he was a bastard, he received quite his share of fan mail... he just didn't want to know what his friend did with it. He had his own little followers which were eager to know about his whereabouts and all. The redhead entertained himself by reading some of the letters, but mostly never replied, he was keen on keeping his privacy exactly like that, private. Ian, he knew, burnt the damn things as soon as he could, mostly for the 'You're so cute' comments that never failed to rail him up. And Spencer... well Tala wouldn't really know, and on second thought, he didn't _want_ to know.

About the personal letters he found one from Kai for him and one for Ian, as usual. As much as he liked to talk with his 'brother' online, he knew it was kind of a detail to keep their correspondence in paper, Kai said he liked post better, it felt much more real for him that way. Shrugging, the redhead looked at the remaining envelope, which was a large white one, with the BBA logo on it. Frowning, he opened and scanned it's contents. When he finished, he wasn't sure he wanted to kick Dickenson or to kiss the man.

_"...therefore, after a long deliberation with the National and International committee, as well as with the approval of our CEO, Mr. Stanley Dickenson, we are pleased to inform you that you and your team are welcome to participate into the next World competition, given you pass the Eliminatory as well as the National competitions in May._

_The World Cup will be held in Paris, France; hosted by the team 'Majestics', the first two weeks of August. According to our regulations you can either choose an sponsor or go by your own means. Accommodation for the two weeks of the tournament will be in charge of the organizing team. As it is, the due date to pay the inscription to the tournaments are April 5th, for Eliminatory, April 18th for Nationals and May 3rd for International Tournament. We have annexed the official calendar of activities for next year's competitions and events._

_Thanking your attention and hoping to see your team participating,_

_Stanley Dickenson, BBA's CEO"_

"Looks like I'm in dire need of a job" The redhead mused, after checking the formats and the costs "And looks like I rather start looking for one pretty darn fast"

He let out a long sigh and kept all the team papers, there was no need to worry the others with money. If he could manage to earn it on time, then fine, if not, he would see how to solve it.

He had always done it before, and he saw no need to change that.

* * *

Bryan grunted half asleep as a soft whimper shattered his light sleep. He groaned slightly and turned in bed, blinking heavily to see what had woken him. His eyes adapted to the dim light rather quickly as another whimper sounded and the bundle of covers on Lizeth's bed shuddered. Frowning, he stood up and silently made his way towards her bed, sitting at the edge of it.

"Wench?" He called out softly, barely disrupting the silence in the room.

The effect was immediate, Lizeth stiffened, frozen in a mix of panic and shock, before the powerful shudders of a seizure became apparent. Bryan sighed and reached to the small door of the cabinet between their beds, pulling out the bottle of pills. He placed a hand gently over her shoulder, not really sure if she was still asleep, and shook her lightly. She sunk back in recoil, scooting away from him, her unfocused eyes fixed on him, but not really seen in him.

"Go away" She whispered softly, pulling her knees to her chest in a protective manner.

Bryan's eyes softened slightly, and he moved closer, reaching out for her, she shuddered as his hand touched her shoulder, sinking back even more. With a gentle movement, Bryan pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder. She shuddered again, and he whispered something into her ear, making her slowly relax against him. Slowly he fed her the pills and helped her swallow the glass of water, adjusting himself to make them both more comfortable. Lizeth rested her head against his chest as the seizure slowly gave in. They stayed like that, closed to each other for what seemed like an eternity, the soft rays from the moon illuminating them. Bryan wondered when his hand had started to run over her hair, and found he couldn't bring himself to care. Finally, her breathing had evened, and he slowly shifted her weight, setting her down in her bed, but a hand held his arm, and bright onyx eyes looked at him from under her lashes.

"Stay... just tonight, please" Her voice was nothing but a small whisper, but he found he couldn't deny her that.

Sighing and shrugging, he crawled next to her into the narrow bed, all the while keeping his eyes locked with hers. He settled on his side, one arm under his head, the other resting in front of him. She looked away from his eyes and tried to curl down, instinctively he used his free hand to pull her close, not demanding, but guiding her towards him, slowly sinking her into his embrace. She tensed at first, but then merely accommodated herself further into his chest, gripping his t-shirt with one hand, suddenly feeling like a small child.

"I'm not weak" She whispered to the night, suddenly feeling like a caged animal "I'm not weak" She repeated the wording with emphasis, and Bryan smiled, although she couldn't see it.

"I know Wench, I know"

The moon was the only witness of the silent exchange as they both fell asleep, curled against each other, her body melting against his as his chin rested on her head, his arms wrapped protectively around her.

And somehow, it seemed as if the Moon smiled.

* * *

She slumped forward, knees finally giving in and barely stopping her fall with her hands. Her hair covered her face as she panted heavily, her eyes closed tightly.

"Get up" An icy voice commanded, but even as her mind screamed at her to obey, her sore muscles refused to move "I said get up!" The voice was more demanding, and then the heavy footfalls were heard "You useless little brat! Do you really think I kept you alive for nothing! Up I tell you!"

Clenching her teeth together, and standing more on raw will than anything else, she looked blankly at her captor and the source of all her misery. He smirked at her and threw the blade back at her. She caught it, and almost fell back at the force of the blow, white hair shielded her eyes, as she bowed slightly at the larger man.

"Scram, I've seen your disgusting face more than enough today" His smirk was infuriating as she closed her fist tightly on the hated blade "And what have I told you about that pathetic whimpering?"

"I'm sorry sir. It won't happen again, sir" Her voice was monotone, but inside fear rather than anger was boiling her blood.

"Good, now leave!" She clenched her teeth tighter against the pain and walked away, but her blue eyes lingered once more into his.

The bit inside the black blade pulsed warmly in recoil to her anger, her fear, feeding on it, as she limped out of the main space of the warehouse, and into a small closet that had somehow managed to accommodate a small coat. She slumped forward into her bed and curled under the covers, trying to ignore the chill in the air.

She closed her eyes, and like every night since she had been kidnapped, she tried in veil to hold back her tears as she wished she was back in her country, spending time with her parents and not in the middle of anywhere, training for a sport she didn't like anymore, under the tutelage of a man she hated passionately.

If only she hadn't carved so much attention, always wanting to be the best...

If only He hadn't killed them...

If only she was back home, blading with her own bit beast, and not with that infernal monster that glared dangerously into her eyes every time she was forced to call it out...

If only she wasn't in the middle of nowhere in Siberia, alone with a man that hated her almost as much as she feared him, working non stop for something she didn't want to do...

If only her Light hadn't failed her at the last minute...

* * *

"Kai? You ok?"

The blunette blinked as he saw the hand waving in front of his eyes and shook his head slightly. He frowned, not being able to shake off that bad feeling he was having.

"Yeah, fine..." He shrugged and smirked up at Tyson "Now, now, don't tell me you're actually worried about me" Tyson frowned and glared slightly at him, but the dual haired blader's smirk disappeared, his face turning grim "Worry about yourself Tyson, if Kane serious, and I very well think he is, you are going to need a good deal of training to beat him. To the dish!"

"Aw c'mon Kai, don't be a Sourpuss, I know I can beat Kane in the blink of an eye!" The midnight haired teen protested weakly, but walked after Kai towards a dish.

"Yes, and that's why they got Wyatt so easily right?" The tone was icy, and inwardly, Tyson flinched.

They had somehow avoided the issue, but Kai had been a complete bastard ever since. Tyson flinched at the harsh words and silently set Dragoon into his launcher, getting ready for the battle. The chilling night air bit his skin, but he ignored it as he saw the seriousness playing along his team Capitan's face. The sun had already long since set, and Tyson had no doubt the dual haired blader had been up since before dawn, though Kai seemed to be as alert as ever.

Creepy.

Two blades spined and met each other in the center of the dish, Tyson concentrated on his blade... but Kai just couldn't quite shake the bad feeling in his gut.

_It's nothing Hiwatari. Everything, everyone's ok. Don't sweat over it._

* * *

"Check Mate" Itza claimed smugly, and Ian spluttered.

"But, but..." The crimson eyed blader stared at her for good measure, but she merely smiled sweetly.

"I hate to say I told you so" Spencer said good naturedly "But I told you so"

Bryan and Lizeth snickered as Ian glared at both blonds heatedly. Mel merely smirked.

They had been invited, dragged in Bryan's and Lizeth's cases, to Itza's house by both blonds. Ian had accepted on the condition he could blade against her, something that had made Spencer look smug and Itza grin. Mel had gone because Ian was blading, and she hadn't still seen him blade. Bryan and Lizeth had gone, only because it was Friday afternoon and they had nothing better to do, and Tala hadn't been there 'cause he said he had some stuff to do, and since he really looked like a walking corpse already, they didn't dared to ask.

Itza's mom was a short, lithe woman, with passive looking violet eyes and fierce red hair. She had an edgy air about her, and had commented on them not to go outside before eating, so she shooed them into Itza's room, where they were all sat on the floor, around a chessboard. So far, only Ian and Spencer had played against her, and both had lost. Mel didn't know how to play, and Bryan and Lizeth were simply watching the exchange amusedly.

"You should play against Tala" Bryan commented casually, he was sitting with his back against the bed, while Lizeth was stretched like a cat on it.

"Really? I'd have thought that with being cranky, and busy he wouldn't have the time, Beyblade aside... if he's anything like Brute here, he's a blading addict" She smirked, Spencer scowled.

"I'm not an addict, it's my sport... as if you could talk" Then he snarled "And don't call me Brute"

"Whatever, so, who's next on execution line?" She grinned and to their surprise, Lizeth volunteered, making a great show of cracking her back before sliding to the floor, to Spencer's place.

They hadn't even started when Ian noted something in one of Itza's bookshelves.

"Hey, what's that?" He asked already half way though pulling something golden from the mess of books and magazines.

"Nothing!" Itza squeaked loudly, but Ian had already pulled out the golden trophy. Several eyebrows were raised in the room.

"'National Championships, Free Style. 2001'? What the hell?" Ian read out loud, looking at her curiously.

"Mom!" Itza groaned out loud, before shrugging and sighing deeply "I'm just a... _dedicated_ athlete, nothing special, really" She shrugged at the looks she got, but Spencer snorted.

"National Champion, 3 year running, more like" The blond said with a lopsided smirk and Itza glared slightly.

"Don't push your luck. But really, I thought I had thrown all those things away" She stood up and walked to her closet, where she pulled out a carton box, with a few other trophies "My mother, for some unholy reason I've yet to discover, thinks I should keep them on sight... let me quote 'To keep your interest in it, so you remember you're the best...' insert clichéd tears here please" Rolling her eyes, she snatched the trophy from Ian's hand and drop it unceremoniously into the box, before shoving it back into the deeps of the closet. Spencer snorted.

"Don't tell me she's still at it" He asked dryly and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah, and she's quite furious with my last act of _supreme teenage stupid-ness_" She snorted "Which mind you, wasn't as stupid if it landed me here... she wasn't expecting you, of all people, to be here" At that, both shared a conspiring look, but Bryan rose a curious eyebrow.

"And which was that great sin you committed?" The tone was surprisingly light, for Bryan anyway, and Itza smirked wolfishly.

"Oh, just this" And she rose her t-shirt a bit, showing off a silver ring on her navel. Spencer whistled.

"And you still live?" Itza snickered.

"She was livid, particularly about the fact it's plain visible under a leotard" She was grinning amusedly, obviously pleased in the tantrum her mother had thrown for it "But seriously though, it's not as if I were to run with a stranger, marry and leave the country, is it?" Spencer snorted, visibly amused.

"Knowing you, yes, it's quite a possibility" The dry tone made Itza roll her eyes, although there was decidedly a light atmosphere around them.

"You don't seem particularly fond of your mother, do you?" Mel asked tentatively, but Itza shrugged.

"She likes to make my life living hell, I like making her blood boil, it's just fair play" Her eyes took a rather dark light though, and there was no joke on her voice as she said that, Spencer's frown deepened slightly "Anyway, it's lunch time, and if I haven't scared poor Ian out of his wits, the ice should be strong enough to handle a battle... or two"

The swift topic change was not lost on anyone in the room, but they walked downstairs the small house and filled into the spacious kitchen non the less. Itza's mother greeted them again, smiling calmly, although Spencer noted a light of worry and sadness that he didn't remember in her eyes. They ate in relative peace, Itza's mother, Natasha, didn't ask many details, and only Mel seem keen in learning something more about the, quite frankly, mysterious woman.

"Where's Irina?" Natasha asked darkly as she finished serving them.

"Went to eat at a friend's house" Itza answered in a monotone, glaring at her mother in a challenging way.

She huffed, and other than looking lightly annoyed, she said nothing more afterwards. They ate and lift the slight mess, before following Itza outside. The air was chilling and the sun was setting already, leaving a strong ice cover over the rather large backyard.

"There's a dish in the basement, but I figured that you'd like something more... interesting" Ian wasn't particularly sure he liked her tone, but agreed non the less "The dish's there, but with the ice covering it-"

"If you want me to, I can leave it clean" Lizeth said with a smirk, one hand on her waist as she stood next to Bryan, her eyes quickly scanning the ice cover.

Indeed there was a concrete dish buried under the ice cover, but to Sherak and her it'd be no problem to clean it out.

"Sure?" Itza asked with a risen eyebrow, but Lizeth's smirk only widened "Then just clean the outside, and leave the dish itself frozen, I'm sure Ian here wouldn't like us to ease things up for him, would you?"

Ian bit back a retort as Lizeth took out her blade and launcher and launched with a deadly precision.

"You heard the lady, Sherak" Lizeth said with a mocking snort, and the core of the blade glowed in response, before it started melting and vaporizing the ice around the dish, but not the one inside.

As her blade maneuvered with ease, Lizeth noted Itza looking at her measurably, but ignored it as she really didn't care. When everything was done, the red and black blade flew back to her mistress' open palm.

"Served" Lizeth's mocking attitude didn't seem to bother Itza, who shrugged and smirked.

"I might want to give that blade of yours a try, but anyway, weren't you asking for a battle Ian?"

"You're on"

They took their places at each side of the dish, and to their surprise, Itza's blade was a golden and purple blade, where in the center a bit beast flashed. Ian took out his manual launcher, but Spencer shook his head.

"Use your gun launcher, if she still blades as I remember her doing it, you'll need it" He told him with a rather smug smirk, and Ian rolled his eyes but obeyed non the less.

"Ready? 3... 2... 1... Let it rip!" Mel yelled as referee as their blades flew and crashed mid air.

Ian's blade felt the sharp recoil as Itza's took a quick turn to the left. She was more of a speed blader than anything else, and as she kept her eyes fixed on it, it started moving faster though the thick ice. Wyborg slipped a few times, but all in all he managed to hit Itza's blade a few times. Her blade, Ian's well trained eyes quickly noticed, was designed for speed and quick maneuvers, but her attack ring had two sharp edges that at the same time help it with more speed and a sharper contact attack, which added with the fact her bit beast seemed to be a mystery, he knew he needed to finish the battle fast. Spencer seemed to know most of her techniques, and he was right about needing the gun launcher, but he still couldn't quite shake the feeling he was hiding something from him.

"Wyborg, Sand bind!"

Itza was silent as the purple viper hissed out of the blade, bearing it's fangs to her blade. She mentally willed it to move aside, before centering her speed center to take the attack full force, though Lizeth noted that she was looking pale and her palms were sweating. _Nervous?_ The viper attacked, but she was prepared for it, and she could manage to keep the balance somewhat intact. Ian snarled, but Spencer sighed.

"She's got him" He declared smugly, as a mocking smirk graced her lips. Bryan frowned, and so he elaborated "Her blade is mostly speed and a quick attack, but when she blades for the first time with an enemy, she takes endurance and a practiced stand to take any attack and fare it more or less well. Once she does that, Dagger can outsmart that blade unless you prove to be more unpredictable than her, and really, I'd think only Tala or Kai would manage that" He mused out loud, and they realized that indeed Wyborg's second and third attempts were easily dodged.

"Now Sugar, I'm afraid I'll have to call it quits. One needs to have standards you know?... Dagger"

The blade circled Ian's twice before stopping abruptly, suddenly spinning faster and faster, until small volts of electricity appeared around her. There was a low rumbling as the bit beast rose, a beautiful cream colored fox with nine silk-like tails that moved in slow waves behind it. It's head and it's chest, as well as it's legs were clad with a violet armor that matched the color of the tips of it's tails. The fox, Dagger, looked at Wyborg with the same lazy, over confident look Itza had. It was magnificent really, and it's tails were swirling behind it in a steady rhythm as it analyzed it's prey, finally looking over it's mistress with a 'you're-kidding-me' look. Spencer snorted.

"Giga Volt" Itza commanded in the same confident tone.

"Yeah, he's toasted" The dryness in Spencer's voice was confirmed with the fox's attack "Or more accurately, dislodged"

Suddenly it leaped towards Wyborg, but all around it, gigantic volts of black electricity flowing all around it, before it hit Wyborg squarely, sending it flying away, hissing in pain at the sudden attack. Ian's blade ended up out of the frozen dish, before it separated into pieces. They stared.

"Well, that wasn't all that unexpected" Itza said with a smirk, before calling her blade back.

Dagger seamed to sniff indifferently before retreating into her blade.

"Like I always say, snob mistress, snob bit beast" Spencer said with a smirk, and Itza raised an eyebrow.

"Careful Brute, you wouldn't really want me to go on with your profile in front of your adored teammates, would you?" There was a particularly nasty edge to her smirk that they hadn't seen on anyone but Spencer.

"Is that so?" Spencer's tone was dry enough to make Mel wish for a glass of water.

"Oh yes! You wouldn't believe what people say about the secret meaning of" Sneer "_Horns_"

Bryan snorted, his lips curling into a sneer. Despite her attitude, he was starting to actually like her, particularly for her own way to deal with Spencer's natural nasty attitude towards most things. Lizeth and Mel were looking at her with great amusement, considering the slight twitch of Spencer's eyebrow as their conversation progressed. Ian was busy pulling his blade back together, as he had realized that all that Itza had done was to separated into parts, but not really broken it.

All in all, their first impression of the blonde wasn't exactly accurate, but it wasn't so far of the mark either. She was confident and somewhat independent, manipulative to a fault, with a dry and sarcastic wit that rivaled Spencer's and at the sometime, a somewhat easy going nature that make it almost impossible to say one didn't like her. The worst thing, though, was that she knew it, and she exploited it with ease. Taking everything in account, only one thing was sure... Itza would surely make their lives much more interesting.

After all, she was... simply Itza.

* * *

_Notes for this chapter:_

_This took me bloody long to finish... and for some strange reason, now that it's done, I feel strangely lazy... anyway, holidays were short for me, and the work load was doubled by some unholy reason. With all that, I feel I have the right to say, I'll update as soon as possible... Questions, flames, and reviews welcome and very much appreciated... Next chapter... just where the hell is Tala and with whom? Heh. You'll be surprised, we'll learn a lot about the red cub, even if he glares holes into my head for it._

_Cya next time._


	6. Chapter Six

_(A/N) Well, look, another update! The title's lame, 'cause I couldn't think of a better one, but I really, really like this chapter, partly 'cause I get to develop Tala's personality a bit more, and 'cause I get to piss with his life even more. Anyway, enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, but I own the plot and the original characters._

* * *

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Six, Complications and Meetings._**

Tala whistled as he walked though the heavy snowed streets. It was Friday night and a week had already passed since he got that BBA letter, and he couldn't really say things were going as smoothly as he wished they were.

As he had assumed, Spencer had been spending a ridiculous amount of time with that hag, as he had come to call the blonde, which suspiciously managed to get him soaked every time she stepped around him. Ian had somehow managed to get the courage, with some poking from Spencer he suspected, to ask Mel out for the ball, and both of the Shrimps had been balls of nervousness that were actually starting to get to him. Adding to that, Bryan and Lizeth had closed up around each other, and he was getting pissed off at the fact that no one was telling him what was up. To finish up the picture, he had received his grades, and while most of them were good, Psychology was actually a perfect score, he had indeed been right about completely screwing Biology. A failed insult match with Karen did nothing to cheer him up.

It was late already, he realized, probably around 5, and the sun had already set. That was one of the things he hated the most of this new living place, winter days were so short, and it was always so cold... He shrugged and continued walking down the street, that last work interview he had taken hadn't exactly worked out the way he hoped, and at the moment he wanted nothing more than his soft bed back at the center where he could sleep until noon, and for once give up on training. He felt busted, and really, he needed a brake.

He kicked a small rock as he walked though the empty street, in this climate few people ventured outside after sunset and those who did were crowding the small bars and restaurants still opened. His eyes traveled lazily though the street, catching sight of a set of moving shadows coming out of a small alley. Curious, he walked towards it following his instincts more than anything, and heard the distinctive sounds of a fight... and a girl's cry. His frown deepened as he cautionously walked into the alley... and suddenly his blood started to boil as his brain registered three things.

A girl, no older than himself was curled up against a wall, shaking in fear and trying in vain to stop the blows coming her way.

A young man, who was on his early twenties and had an unnerving resemblance to Karen, was sneering at her in disgust, throwing kicks her way and snarling at her, calling her whore and worse.

There was a broken bottle of vodka next to his feet, and now that his feet had unconsciously carried him close to him, the smell of alcohol was nauseating.

"Stop it..." The girl cried out curling closer around herself.

"You worthless bitch!"

_That_ sent a jolt of white pain as that dreaded scene replayed itself into his mind again...

_"You worthless bitch! Can't do a thing right can you!" The man's husky voice sounded into the small tavern, seconded by a powerful howling thunder._

_A six year old child hid behind a man's leg as he watched his father work up a fury. His mother took the backslap stoically, and she received more for it. Tears started to stream down the child's cheeks as his mother was quickly turned into a ball curling at a corner, his father hitting her savagely. Outside, the storm grew wilder, and the sea roared powerfully. Not a single person inside the tavern dared to move or help the pleading woman, since his father was easily the tallest and strongest man in the small town. No one was stupid enough to challenge him. Another thunder hit, and he shuddered as her mother cried out again._

_He had never seen his father so angry before._

"Stop!" The girl's scream brought him back from his memories, and his eyes froze with cold fury.

"Get away from her" His voice was as cold as the snow around them, and it made the blunette's head jerk up.

"Tis' na' of ya' bus'ss pal... g't lo't" The slurred speech and the heavy alcohol smell made Tala's fists clench.

Before the drunk's brain could register it, the redhead's solid left hook had connected with his face, sending him stumbling to the side.

"I said, go away" He repeated again, hoping for his sake he would take the hint. Not such luck.

The drunk and pissed off young man growled and launched himself against the redhead, who dodged the punch with relative ease. He moved swiftly around, dodging the blunette's rather pathetic attempts at attacks although he did got hit twice by the erratic punches. He ended up with a split lip and a slightly nasty bruise on his left side, but even then, the blunette got the worst. In the end, the blunette glared and scrammed, muttering darkly about him. Tala sighed deeply, and licked the blood from his lip, before looking down at the girl on the floor. His eyes softened when she backed away from him.

"Hey, easy there. Are you ok?" He knelled in front of her, and two bright silver eyes looked at him from under her lashes, after a few seconds and seeing he was doing nothing against her, she spoke quietly.

"My side hurts... and my leg too" Now that she had raised her head, Tala could see the pale brown hair pulled back into a pony tail and the ugly bruise on her left cheek. He nodded "And he made me drop all my things..."

"That's ok; do you want me to carry you home?" He smiled softly at her and she tilted her head to the side.

"You don't mind? It's a few blocks from here, and it's already late..."

"It's ok, don't worry about me, now, let's get your things and let me help you, ok?" He calmly set to pick all the fallen groceries in the floor and set them back on a brown paper bag, which he took in one hand as he helped her up "You never told me your name though" He said with a grin and she blushed slightly.

"Sarah Ivanovna Strovskaya" She smiled shyly and he shrugged "And you're Tala Ivanov, I know... I'm in your grade, but in the other classroom"

"So that explains why you seemed familiar" The redhead mused out loud, before shrugging "So, where exactly do you live Sarah?"

She seemed relived at the change of topic and shrugged, but almost tripped, and Tala had to wrap his arm around her waist to help her up. She blushed brightly.

"Sorry... There, mother owns that restaurant, we live upstairs" She said pointing to a rather small restaurant that clearly had seen better days. Tala shrugged.

"It's ok... So you own it? Cool"

Sarah watched him closely, mentally comparing what she could see to whatever rumors she had heard about him. He was strong, that fight with the blunette had just proved it, but he didn't seem as ruthless and violent as others said he was. Neither he seemed to be angry or cold, quite the contrary actually, and she was having a hard time trying not to be overly friendly with the redhead, but his gentle eyes and petulant smirk were all too alluring. It didn't help that he smelled of winter and wildness and that she found herself entranced by his scent as he wrapped his arms around her, and she couldn't but think that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't all that bad.

The door to the restaurant was unlocked, and they slid inside. The main room was large with some small tables scattered around, while there was a bar on a side. In the far end there was a lone door that Tala supposed leaded to the kitchen. The restaurant was empty though, and as he helped Sarah it, he couldn't but note the slight feeling of abandon the place radiated. The feeling changed rather quickly when they entered the spacious kitchen, and the woman near the stove noticed them. It was much more illuminated in there than in the dark hall they had just passed, but only in the work table at the center, the corners were shadowy and dark.

"Sarah! What took you so long? Oh my god! What happened to you?" The woman was obviously Sarah's mother as she rushed towards her and hugged her tightly, making sure she was alright.

Tala felt a sharp tug inside him at the sight of the true concern flashing in the elder's eyes... _you could have had that..._ Shaking his head and pulling himself from his thoughts, he left the bag on the counter.

"And who would happen to be this handsome boy, mm?" The tone was merely teasing, but for some reason, Tala found himself blushing slightly. He kicked himself mentally.

"Ma, this is Tala, he just sorta helped me out with some drunken guy on the alley on my way back... Tala, she's my mother, Anastasia" Sarah looked slightly embarrassed as her mother let go of her tight grip, but the redhead merely shrugged.

"Oh thank you dear! You're so noble!" The redhead literally squeaked in a un-Tala-like way as the older woman wrapped him into a boa hug.

_So this' what Ian's opponents feel under Wyborg's Sand bind..._ His mind mused with mild mirth as he tried to pry himself off the dead grip, while saving his cracked rib from further damage. When the woman finally let him go, he noticed that Sarah was watching him with a worried expression; _expecting me to get angry I suppose... reputations are a stupid thing in situations like this..._

"I really should leave now..." He said with what he hoped was a gentle expression, and unconsciously stepping into the light he had been avoiding, so as to stop Sarah from noticing his disheveled appearance, but the silver eyes widened with concern.

"Tala!" Sarah's eyes widened considerably as she drank in the sight of the redhead, which she hadn't seen clearly until then.

His lip was swollen, still bleeding slightly, and he was leaning on the side, probably for a broken rib, and really, he looked like he was about to fall asleep standing. Sarah's mother went into Mother-Hen-Mode.

"You brought Sarah back, and now you expect us to let you go into that blizzard outside just like it? And so injured too? What kind of inhuman things you take us for!" The matron was imposing, and suddenly the redhead found himself against the counter, the elder's grey eyes boring holes though him.

"But really Mrs., I'm fine. And it's not all that wild snow there, I can reach the center easily"

"The center? You're planning on walking all the way to the _center_!" The older woman practically screeched at him and he whined sharply. Somehow this woman irradiated some kind of authority he just couldn't bring himself to out rule.

The embarrassing image of a wolf cub and an alpha female stucked into his mind repeatedly.

"But-"

"Nonsense boy. You helped my girl, the very least I can offer you is a decent meal and a place to stay" He sighed inwardly, knowing this was a lost battle and accepted the offer thankfully. In truth, he really didn't want to walk 3 miles on snow with a broken rib... but they didn't have to know that "My elder daughter will return tomorrow, and she can drive you in the morning, but only after you take a good meal and a good night sleep"

He accepted the offer without so much resistance and was grateful to follow Sarah into a small guest room on the upper floor after he assured them he wasn't hungry at all. The sudden shyness of the girl struck him as odd, but he shrugged and gave it no more thought. His eyes softened as she squirmed a bit, standing in the center of the room, apparently waiting for his approval. He noted she was trying to hide her limping and frowned slightly.

"You should really have that ankle looked at, it might be sprained" He commented off handy, and to his surprise, she blushed even more.

"T-thanks for tonight... I - I" She stumbled though her words, and mentally cursed herself for her sudden clumsiness. _Great Sarah, have him think you're a useless weakling, he'll be delighted._ Her sour thoughts broke when he snickered.

"Go to sleep, you'll feel better in the morning... and you can tell me who that big idiot was" His eyes were two frozen pits of ice, and she knew she _would_ tell him what had happened.

Nodding, she smiled and walked away; she stopped by the door and winked.

"Night Tala"

The redhead watched her go, amusement evident in his features, before settling back in the small but comfortable bed. His last thought before finally going to sleep brought a small frown to his lips; _Krystal is going to skin me alive for this..._

* * *

"Where is he?" A highly distressed, blue haired midget was pacing the living room of the small cabin, looking pretty much like a bunch of nerves glued together. Spencer, already dizzy from his pacing, snapped.

"Ian, _calm down_" The blond snarled irritably, glaring darkly at the red eyed teen from under his bangs, hair a mess, emerald eyes looking grim "It's not as if he's an invalid, he knows how to take care of himself"

"Point, but he generally tells us what he's doing" One grim Bryan pointed out from his spot against a wall, opening his eyes to regard his team "Or at least he tells us not to expect him"

The main door opening made them jump up mildly startled, but they all sighed resignedly as Lizeth slid inside, shivering slightly from the cold outside.

"Krystal doesn't have a clue as to where he could be" She announced once she had shrugged into a thick jacket and fetched a spot in the couch "Damn that bastard, where the hell he could be anyway?" She muttered under her breath, unwilling to show just how much she cared.

The truth was, Tala hadn't come back to the center when Itza's mom had dropped them in, at barely 6 o'clock... but then it was already 10:30 and they had no clue as to where the redhead could be. And really, even though neither of them was willing to admit it, they were all sick with worry. Even Bryan seemed to be more uneasy and edgy than usual. Finally he snapped when his watch beeped marking 11 o'clock. He sighed and clapped twice.

"Enough crap, everyone, go to sleep" His cold glare made them choke back their replies, while he frowned deeply "When mutt boy isn't here, I'm in charge, and you lot aren't going to stay up all night long waiting for him. He probably found where to spend the night and he'll be here pesting us tomorrow"

They nodded resignedly, knowing Bryan wouldn't change his mind, and each of them went to their own bed, though all doubted they would sleep anything that night.

* * *

"Itza?"

The voice was soft and quiet, and the teen in bed heaved a deep sigh as she reached for the alarm clock in her nightstand. The clock's numbers blared _2:18_ in bright red numbers and she groaned slightly.

"Rinny, I love you, but it's two in the bloody morning, what _is_ it?" Itza sat up in bed, her hair quite a mess and her eyes barely opened, looking at her sister in a _this better be good, you brat_ kind of death glare.

The girl couldn't be older than six, dressed in a messed up pajama and carrying an old, battered dragon plushy toy. Her eyes were a bright violet like her sister's, but her hair was a bright crimson color, pulled back in two pigtails, while to long strands framed the innocent looking face. She bit her lip, pouting slightly as she fixed her eyes on her sister, and the blond sighed, moving to the side and opening the covers invitingly. Irina smiled brightly at her sister and scrambled into the warmth of her embrace, snuggling down comfortably. Itza sighed once the child was settled, and patiently waited for the explanation.

"I saw the monster again" The blond whined, pulling her sister into a protective hug.

"The monster won't come here, Rinny, I won't let him get you" She buried her face into the mop of crimson strands, trying as hard as she could to sooth her, and in minutes, Irina's breathing slowed into a deep sleep.

The blonde's eyes softened as she watched her baby sister sleep, but they hardened into stone as they met the uneasy green ones that poked from the door ajar. The intensity of her glare made the green eyes look away, before the door was closed tightly.

"I've got you little one. I've got you"

* * *

His first thought upon awakening was... _damn! It's **early**..._ And he snuggled under the covers in a veil attempt to go back to sleep.

He hadn't know he hated his habits so much until that day.

With a groan, realizing he wouldn't go back to sleep, a much disheveled redhead crawled from under the covers and whined at he looked at the dark sky through the thick window. Whoever thought he _enjoyed_ waking up at any unholy hour of morning was seriously confusing him with Kai... Closing his eyes and letting out a painfully long sigh, Tala finally untangled from the sheets and got out from bed. The small mattress was much more comfortable than it seemed on first sight, and he really didn't want to get up, but he knew it was pointless to stay in bed any longer. Stretching until he heard his joints pop back into place, and stifling a yawn, he padded to the door, opening it slowly, though it cracked horribly.

The first thing he noticed was how dim the hallway looked that early, and how long it seemed from where he was standing. The room he had been given was at the very end of the small hallway, and there were two doors at each side of it. Hearing a soft humming downstairs, and seeing the light coming from the staircase at the end of the hallway, he started walking towards it. The rug was faded and old, but it looked oddly fitting in the small corridor, and it tickled his feet slightly. As he walked, he whined as the wooden floor cracked and moaned under him, and idly wondered why he was being so utterly clumsy that morning. His sensitive eyes were momentarily blinded when he finally reached the brightly lighted kitchen, and he felt his pupils disappear at the harsh light. When he could see again, he took in the image that greeted him. Sarah's mother was buzzing along the kitchen, muttering to herself as she placed pots and various ingredients among the table, obviously preparing for a day of hard work. A dusty old radio stood in a corner, playing some American lively music, which the woman seemed to be muttering under her breath.

The way the matron moved through the kitchen with skilled precision, and how she settled things with a practiced ease remind him painfully of another cook he knew. One small, lithe, cheery redhead, who had coincidentally given birth to him. He whined and then sighed.

"What are you doing up at this unholy hour boy?" He blinked when he realized the silver eyes were boring into him _and_ that he had been staring. _Damn._

"Er... force of habit?" Came the lame response.

He didn't know why, but since he had entered the building, he felt oddly stripped from his usual shields and mind barriers against people. The woman's eyes held a particularly strong light he had just seen in three other people before, that being Kai, Katherine, Kai's mother, and his own mother, and it made it impossible for him to lie. A light brown eyebrow was risen, somewhat mockingly and he did a mix of a sulk and a scowl.

"I've been getting up at five in the bloody morning for the last 8 years. Though I hate it, it's a habit that's regularly useful" He shrugged lightly and the woman rolled her eyes.

"Youth this days...mind your tongue. Anyway, do you want something to eat?" She smiled somewhat smugly "Or you rather get dressed first?"

This time, the redhead flushed to the roots of his bright colored hair, and crossed his arms in a vain attempt to cover his bare chest, looking away. The woman snickered amusedly and shook her head.

"The second door to the left upon climbing the stairs is a bathroom. Take a shower and come down to eat. Really child, you look starved"

He nodded, and slid away somewhat embarrassed, hearing the faint laugher of the old woman. Scowling to himself, he tried to set his mind in order. His wounds had already closed and healed perfectly, something, if not the only thing, he had to thank Boris for, but his mind was a mess.

For some reason he had been remembering his mother a lot of the late, that flashback he had had the night before was just the icing of the cake. He was having strange feelings, and he found himself lost in thought more often. His frown burrowed as he stepped into the cold spray of water, letting it wake his nerve endings fully. Many of those feelings, he was sure weren't his own, others simply echoed his... but one thing was clear, something deep within him was changing, and he wasn't sure it was a good thing. He felt tired, he was giving all he could to keep things balanced, training his team, keeping them in line at school, doing his own work, and trying to earn some cash. It was draining, but he was as stubborn as a mule when it came to it, and truthfully, he didn't mind. _It's just stress... Beat it Ivanov, it's nothing important;_ he told himself as he dried the last remains of water in him, and dressed in a pair of old cream colored jeans and a black, long sleeved cozy sweater, the same cloths he had been wearing the night before.

Still, a part of him, at least, had the nagging suspicion something big was brewing in _and_ out of him.

* * *

"There, that shower surely did you some good boy... that and getting dressed of course" His sulk became very apparent as he registered the words... and the snicker of amusement behind them.

He stood in the doorway, not sure of what to do, arms crossed over his chest in an instinctively protective manner. He tried to glare at the woman, but he truly couldn't bring himself to do so. Rolling her eyes, the matron motioned him towards a drawer.

"Set the table boy, it's early and breakfast would do us good"

Thankful for the hint, he set to work in silence, somehow comforted by the friendly pretense of the woman. As he placed the plates, he felt the woman's eyes on him, but didn't give it much thought anyway.

Contrary to what the redhead assumed, the matron wasn't as naïve as she had presented herself the night before, and was rather running her eyes on him, trying to pick up hints of his true character. Julia, Anastasia's oldest daughter, was a rabid fanatic of Beyblade, and thanks to that, she had a pretty good idea of who the redhead was, and just _what_ had been said about him. The only reason she had ignored his reputation was the fact that he _had_ helped Sarah, but otherwise, she didn't really trust him. The way he carried himself, self confidently, but at the same time overly protective and guardedly, made her wonder what he had to hide. His body language was conflicting though, he was tense, like a cat ready to pounce, but he was also enjoying the task, as if remembering old faded memories with each rehearsal movement. She dimly wondered if all those rumors about him and his team were true. His eyes were clear though, like to pools of crystal water that reflected many emotions, though they froze with ease. When he was done, she decided to put a theory into practice, hoping to catch more hints of the redhead's intentions. She smiled.

"Would you mind helping me out with the cooking?" Her tone was somewhat sweeter than normal as she smiled kindly upon him. He blinked awkwardly "I know it's all _women_ work and all that, but..."

He actually chuckled out loud, smirking with blatant amusement. Anastasia rose an eyebrow at the display.

"I was actually expecting you to ask something more embarrassing" He shrugged, and answered without skipping a beat "I don't mind the cooking, but I don't particularly enjoy the chauvinist comment. What do you want me to do?"

She frowned slightly at the sharp reply, but pointed to a pile of vegetables innocently waiting to be sliced.

"I need them into small slices, if you would be so kind?"

"Sure"

Tala frowned inwardly, though he didn't show it, as he cut the food with practiced ease. He could _feel_ her eyes on himself, and suddenly felt the itch to scratch his neck. He did the job neatly, though, he _did_ owe it to the woman, and he found he rather liked Sarah, so if he had any hopes of getting to know her, it was by not getting her mother against him.

Anastasia saw the long fingers working efficiently, with much more ease than she had expected, as if he had done that kind of thing before. Her brow furrowed. She gave him more instructions, and he followed them flawlessly, even providing a few tips at some points. By the end of it, and while they ate in a relatively comfortable silence, the woman was sure that either the redhead wasn't as bad as he had been portrayed, or he was one hell of an actor. On the other hand, Tala wasn't exactly _charmed_ by the woman's pressing at him, and the judging stare he was receiving, but he did find her motherly air somewhat amusing, even appealing. The redhead end up with the conclusion that the woman was more or less alright, and she, that he wasn't quite so bad himself. He shrugged under her amused stare as he cleaned the table. She finally asked the question that had been bugging her all morning, deciding a less blunt approach was as good as any.

"You're good at this boy, though you didn't hit me as the kind of people to do menial tasks" She chuckled slightly "From what my daughter tells me, World Class Bladers aren't exactly the hard working class... where did you learn it anyway?"

He chuckled amusedly at her comments, the image of that European Team jumping into his mind with ease, quickly followed by the American fools. His smirk turned into a fond smile though, and he shrugged.

"My mother's family owned a small tavern. We lived in the coasts of the north sea, and she run pretty much the only decent place a sailor could eat something remotely edible" His eyes dimmed slightly, taking a darker shade of blue "Then she died, and I was taken by the BioVolt corporation" He shrugged somewhat apologically "Against what most people think, I was more the all-use-assistant than the favorite pet of my former employer. I'm just used to do much of everything he needed me to. Cooking, fixing electrical stuff, training, blading, music, translating, the occasional entertainment for rich guys, _plombery_, he was one lazy ass if you ask me."

"Is that so? Well, all-use-assistant, we'll see how good you are. Up to give me a hand with today's work, boy?" She gave him a strange mix of a smirk and a smile, too gentle for a superiority smirk, too smug for a friendly smile, and winked, choosing to ignore the fool language. He snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Sure thing ma'am!" He saluted mockingly, before snickering "If you leave the patronizing tone aside, and use my name"

"Very well, _Tala_, we'll see how good you really are, won't we? Bring those bags from under the counter"

_Why do I have the distinct feeling I won't be leaving this place any time soon?_ The redhead mused inwardly as he helped set their working table. He blinked to himself. _And why the hell am I enjoying it so much?_

* * *

He slowly came around with the feeling of a hand going through his hair slowly. The movement was soothing and loving, and he realized he was leaning on someone. Someone warm and who smelled strongly of cinnamon. He whined low on his throat as the hand left his hair, and blinked sleepily at the soft chuckles that made the body he was leaning on shake slightly.

"You never hit me to be the whinny type, Bry" Lizeth's voice was soft, and her hand reassumed the caressing motions through his hair "It's rather endearing, though"

He screwed his eyes shut and let out a long painful sigh. He did relax under her touch though, and he secretly hated himself for it. Lizeth, on the other hand, shook her head at his stubbornness, and gently, but firmly, maneuvered them on the couch until he was sitting up with his back to her. He shuddered visibly as she ran her fingers up his spine.

"'uck off" Bryan's speech slurred with sleep.

Lizeth smiled, chuckling slightly before she started massaging the tense and abused muscles of his back. He tried, in vain, to stop himself from moaning in content. His appreciative for her work made her snicker.

"You shouldn't have stayed up all night" Her tone was teasing, but there was a undertone of reproach under it. Bryan snorted, his head bowed and his eyes closed tightly.

"Have I ever done what I should?"

She rolled her eyes, pinching on his back much harder than needed, causing him to yelp. Sighing, she pulled him back, until he was resting against her again, and both sighed again.

"He's fine, Bryan. We'll probably be laughing at his stunt tomorrow" He sighed, indulging himself in snuggling closer to her, and snorted loudly.

"We will, he'll be too busy getting Wolborg out of his ass to laugh"

Laughing good naturedly, Lizeth shook her head and mockingly slapped his head.

Neither spoke as they sat there, watching the merry flames in the fireplace dance.

Neither wanted to admit they were worried, much less dwell in the warmth that spread between them, even in such situations.

They sighed again.

* * *

When Sarah woke up, she was surprised to find Tala's bed empty and already made, and curious, she went downstairs, only to be received with a strange picture.

"You're overacting. She can't be doing it on purpose, be reasonable Tala!" Anastasia scolded him mildly, while the redhead, frying something, snorted.

"She can't be doing it accidentally either, c'mon Ma, which are the chances one can drop a cup of water on the same person _every bleeding time you see them_? It's just plain hate if you ask me" The redhead retorted heatedly, scowling fiercely.

"Nonsense, besides, you say one of your friends likes her, she can't be _that_ bad" Anastasia pointed out, while she checked on a big bowl of soup "And mind your tongue"

"I'm sure, that somewhere, someone, under the heavy weight of alcohol poisoning, has said that Hitler, Stalin, Boris Valkov, Voltair Hiwatari, my father _and_ Maritza Pavlova are lovely creatures and blessings to our land"

"I don't know what's worse, the fact that you seem to phrase things into very, very complicated, long and overly sarcastic ways so I get a hard time trying not to laugh, or the obviousness of you liking this _lovely creature and blessing to our land_"

"**_Ma!_**" Tala groaned/scoffed in indignation and Anastasia, aka 'Ma', snickered.

Sarah's laughter startled them, making them turn simultaneously towards her. Anastasia in amusement, Tala in light embarrassment. She shook her head and walked over, giving her mother a mock glare. She looked much less nervous than she had been the night before, and apparently the familiarity with which her mother was treating the redhead reassures her.

"Ma! I told you not to enslave our guests!" She perched her hands on her hips, giving her mother a mocking scold.

They dissolved into laughter though, and Tala helped Sarah with some improvised breakfast, while he continued muttering under his breath. Sarah stared at her mother in a mix of awe and disbelief, while the older woman merely shrugged.

"So, what have you two been doing at this unholy hours? It's 8 o'clock, and God helps us all, Tala, you're making the sun look dull" The redhead sniffed dramatically, while Anastasia rolled her eyes with flourish.

"Oh, here I was, minding my own business, when this oppressor of the lower ranks, this blood thirsty beast, this slave trader of poor innocent souls, such as my own, asked me, no, _forced_ me into harsh work, which obviously wasn't meant for such sensitive and _delicate_ creatures such as myself!" The long string of drama was uttered an octave higher than the redhead's usual voice, and with twice as whinny as he rinsed some plates.

"Mom, you've created a monster" Sarah deadpanned, though the whole effect was ruined by her snickering.

"Ah ah, I don't think so dear, he was crazy when he crossed that door last night" Anastasia smiled mischievously at her daughter, while she patted the redhead's back "Besides giving him permission to use my infamous artistic name, I have done nothing to threaten his mental state"

"You know, I'm still here" The redhead mused, waving slightly as both women continued to crack comments at his sanity.

Being ignored, he rolled his eyes and sighed, dragging his eyes towards the small window that gave into the street behind the building. He saw with mild interest as people slowly got around their daily business, and idly wondered what his teammates would be doing.

_Ian's asleep, of that much I'm sure. Damn Shrimp could sleep through a blizzard and the end of the world._ He snorted softly at that, as an image of Ian sprawled over bed came to his mind. _And Spencer's probably bitching about the weather. As if he hadn't lived in Russia all his life, the bastard._ As he rolled his eyes at his own musings, he watched with mild interest as a black dog emerged from a house across the street, barking loudly as it rub itself on the fresh snow. _Now, my favorite psycho duo is probably cuddly asleep, unaware of me knowing they've been sharing a bed for at least a week._ He grinned evilly. _Blackmail is going to be, for lack of better wording, sunshine on a frosty land._ His enhanced hearing quickly picked up a very amusing string of curses and a very angry engine coming closer. He blinked as a wave of dizziness overtook him, and suddenly mixed feelings flared through him at a crazed pace. Frustration, relieve, happiness, tenderness, smugness, content. All hit him like a ton of bricks as he held the counter with white knuckles.

When he calmed down, taking deep breaths, he dragged his eyes back to the table, and found Sarah and her mother deep within an Earth shattering conversation about, god help him, his hairstyle. He coughed, calling attention to himself and rose an eyebrow.

"As amusing as your interpretations of the true psychological meaning of my hair's tendency to defy gravity, I believe your daughter has arrived" He chuckled at the startled expressions both women were sporting and shrugged "I have my talents"

As on cue, a tall black haired woman with bright silver eyes stormed into the kitchen, muttering some unpleasantly under her breath and aiming directly for Sarah's cup of steaming coffee.

"Hey! That's mine!"

She held it close to her face, smelling it with delight, before taking a tentative sip and then letting out a loud, pleasure-filled moan.

"My one true love... my religion... my _coffee_" Her voice was more of a purr than anything else.

"Oh, really Julia, stop that" Ma rolled her eyes and frown slightly at her older daughter, before she smirked slightly, patting Tala's shoulder "Besides, here's someone I'm sure you'll be more interested in"

"Ma, nothing's more... interesting... that... coffee... _holy mother of Christ!_" The last sentence was yelled at the redhead's face as the coffee fell to the table, spilling and shattering the cup. He blinked.

"Um. Hi?"

"_Tala fucking Ivanov is here!_"

And then she fainted.

Tala blinked.

"I know this will sound really, really stupid, and that I'll probably wish I hadn't ask but... _the hell?_"

"You should be used to it. You're a _celebrity_ after all" Sarah said with a teasing grin, before she rolled her eyes "You should see her room, it's like a _sanctuary_ of your team. Posters, pictures, cut outs, it's scary really" The redhead stared.

"Let me get this straight. Your sister is a _fan_? Of _me_?" His incredulous tone made Ma snort.

"Oh no, boy. That's not drastic enough, try mindless obsession" The older's woman dry answer did nothing to stop Tala from shuddering violently.

"Just my freaking' luck" He shook his head in mild despair and Sarah snickered softly.

* * *

"Would you stop it?" The redhead's slightly irritated tone was completed with a death glare at Julia, but the dark haired woman merely sighed, looking at him with a dreamy expression. He sighed disheartedly.

"Don't worry Tala, she'll get over it... I think" Sarah shook her head slightly but smiled somewhat shyly at him as he swept the main dinning room, while she set up the plates "In anyway, I think it's cute"

"Yeah? Well I think it's annoying" He snickered "Though at least you seem less shy than last night" Sarah's cheeks glowed crimson at that comment, causing him to smirk "I must admit you're much more nicer like that, than when you're stumbling through your words"

"I stand corrected, you _are_ an evil guy" She glared slightly, though she was still blushing furiously.

"You're forgetting cute. One cute, evil guy"

Both teens sweatdroped at Julia's comment and the redhead edged a bit more to the corner at the half lidded, loving stare.

They finished setting everything up in record time.

* * *

"Darkness Cry!" The black blade was surrounded by black flames, and suddenly a dark void formed in the center of the dish.

The small figure at the side of the dish trembled with the raw power flowing through her. Searing pain cursed though her small frame, the darkness of it burning slightly. Instinctively, a glowing curtain of light erected itself around her, protecting her from the viciousness of the beast she had freed. She shuddered as the blood red eyes bored into hers, snarling fiercely at her protective barrier. Using every bit of strength in her, she managed to force the beast into the blade again. Utterly exhausted, she let herself fell to the hard floor of the warehouse on her knees, her breathing raged, her body trembling with the afterglow of so much raw power.

The man sneered at her.

"You pathetic whinny brat! Don't guard yourself from it" His snarl was terrifying, and what little confidence she had gained in the night was shattered by his sole presence "The whole point is to let her take control, let the Darkness consume you, possess you" A whimper died in her throat as she listened meekly. He growled in annoyance and disgust "Get yourself under control and try again" With that, he turned on his heel and left, an imposing image of hatred and darkness.

Whimpering again, she forced her self upwards, the black blade burning on her palm. Her eyes set on the floor, she breathed once, twice, forcing down her feelings back in check, the soft white aura still enveloping her. Once she wasn't dizzy anymore, she lifted her eyes towards the ceiling.

The warehouse was ancient, probably made in the old regime. The walls were made, first of bricks, and near the top with aluminum plaques that continued on until they made up the ceiling, which was around 50ft high, with dull lamps throwing dirty yellow light that kept the room permanently dim. There was a Beyblade dish carved in the concrete of the floor, at the very center of the wide space. There were some high tech components scattered around, and a strange looking circular tank in the very back of the room. Thick cables ran from one spot to another, creating a strange web in the warehouse's floor. There was a metal structure, the base for constructing a second floor, hanging from the ceiling, but it was all rusty and forgotten. Two men and a woman, all dressed in black with white lab coats, walked from one place to another, while making notes and muttering lowly in Russian.

She whished she could understand what they were saying.

Men dressed in white heavy duty cloths and carrying guns painted in white would enter the main room periodically, mostly going directly to Him, exchanging a few words, before they left. Some of them glared at her, while others merely ignored her, but all, without exception, where well aware of the devastating power that rested in her palm, its biting heat almost scalding her hand. There was a small corridor at one side of the main room of the warehouse, leading to four smaller and less high ceiling'd rooms. One was hers, barely 5 square feet, and with only the very basics. Another one was the adult's room, it was much more larger, and with many cots, where both the scientists and the guards slept. Then was His, which was much more furnished than the others, but was also filled with a disturbing amount of cut outs of the mayor newspapers of the Capital, all about the Demolition Boys. The last room was scary though. It was the only one with cement walls and ceiling and with absolutely no windows and no light, and it looked more like a cell than anything else.

She had spent her first week there, until everyone, specially Him, was sure she wouldn't try escaping.

There was nowhere to scape, anyway. Miles around of snowed plains and forests, she knew she wouldn't survive not even a day in the wildness.

Properly raised, rich heirs for Japanese corporations weren't fit for that kind of thing.

"But then again, we aren't fit for blading either" She muttered with some dead mirth, and shaking her head slightly, prepared herself to launch the blade again.

* * *

"I hate breakfast" Ian groaned miserably, looking at the disaster the old cook had given them that morning. Spencer snorted.

"I stand corrected, I hate breakfast not made by Red" The blond pointed out gloomily, and Lizeth blinked.

"Red? As in Tala?" She asked incredous, blinking somewhat owlishly "He cooks?"

"No" Bryan said with a snort "He does fucking magic on a stove"

They were sitting in their usual table, and under Bryan's death glare at the cabin, they had decided to keep the whole affair quiet, until Krystal got hold of any news regarding their leader. So far, Ian was blabbing nonsense to keep himself from saying or doing something utterly stupid, Spencer was twitching, Bryan was trying to avoid conversation (and failing miserably) and Lizeth was acting normally. She snickered, though it was dead underneath.

"Talented bastard"

A sigh, a snort and a grunt were her answers, as her three teammates breathed the same answer.

"Quite"

* * *

"Urg, when was the last time you gave this thing a full check up?" Tala grimaced at the sight of the messy and badly repaired engine.

Julia shot him a look of pure adoration, and he simply rolled his eyes with flourish. Sarah, sitting on a crate nearby, giggled under her breath.

The truck was _ancient_, an old Ford '47, pick-up styled and painted in what long ago must have been a navy blue paint, but now it was a faded and heavily scratched baby blue. It was parked into a small garage at the back of the restaurant's building, the room being more like a storage room, given the quantity of boxes and other random objects that were in it. Tala was bent over the front of the truck, looking at the engine with a mix of amusement and disbelief that the thing had gone through the hundred and sixty miles Julia said it had.

"Well, it's gonna take a while, but I think I can fix it up a little..."

Sarah watched with amusement as the redhead bent over the engine, poking and probing around, randomly asking questions or tools from Julia, who would sigh dreamily and comply in an instant. She chuckled slightly, and received a half death glare for it, when he swore loudly as a patch of grease got on his sweater and then when one of his fingers got stuck in-between the cables, making him yelp in mild surprise and a tint of pain. He continued to grumble under his breath, muttering about 'old evil trucks' and 'badly made engines' for a long while. Sarah smiled.

He wasn't really that _evil_, though he certainly was a sarcastic, and loud. Gods, she hadn't thought it was possible for one human being to be so _loud_. At least in the sense of telling what he was feeling. Against all she had seen in TV about the World Tournament, he wasn't cold or emotionless, at least not with them, he got angry and annoyed and embarrassed (that one wasn't so loud though, he just got a tiny, very cute blush over the bridge of his nose), like any other person, but in a sense, it was welcoming. Truthful. Her eyes dimmed slightly. _Like Karen used to be._ The redhead had an air around him, even if she knew him to be powerful and rather dangerous, she felt allured by him, as if he beckoned her trust. She couldn't say _why_, but she knew he was trustworthy, and that he wouldn't betray anything of what she said. What puzzled her was _why_ exactly she felt that way.

"_Voila_!" The redhead said with mild satisfaction as he moved in to start the truck, and it did so without so many rumbles and other strange noises.

"You're so _great_!" Julia squeaked in delight. Tala rolled his eyes again, sighing in mock despair.

"Of course I am" He said with a lop sided smirk, snickering when Julia's eyes sparkled and turned into two little hearts.

"And always so humble too" Ma added dryly, having come out of the door that lead to the kitchen, and looking at him with a mildly reproachful air, he shrugged "Julia, phone" That snapped the dark haired woman from her daze, and she blinked, then groaned.

"I swear, if it's Aliosha, I'm gonna _kill_ him" She left from her spot looking adoringly at Tala, and stormed into the house mumbling in annoyance.

Ma followed her, not before giving Tala one last, meaningful glance, though. The redhead rose an eyebrow at her, but said nothing of it. He sighed and turned back to the truck, deciding to put everything back into place, since he was already done. The silence stretched in the room, until he had almost forgot Sarah was there. Then she spoke in a quiet, soft voice.

"He used to be my best friend" He looked up at her, startled, but her eyes were pinned in a pile of crates in a corner "Karen, I mean. The guy from last night is his brother, Sasha. He's a bastard if you haven't noticed" She laughed mirthlessly, sneering bitterly, but she shook her head slightly.

Tala watched her carefully, before another wave of nausea hit him, blurring his eyes. Foreign emotions flood though him. Anger, despair, mild regrets, and a underlying sense of loving. He blinked harshly as his vision returned to normal. He swallowed hard as he saw the faint blue glow around his arms and hands, and felt a warmth spread from the pocket where Wolborg was. _Shit._ Sarah, however, didn't seem to notice the small episode, and was apparently waiting for an answer. He strained his brain trying to process both things at the same time.

"Karen himself is a bastard" He said matter of factly, and not without little spite "Anyone who dares to rise a hand against a woman, is worse than scum" His eyes narrowed at Ian's rant about Karen slapping Mel, and just the memory made his blood boil with rage.

"We scape our problems in strange ways" She said in a cryptic air "I like to dance, for once. When I'm upset, I like to turn the volume up and dance until I can't stand up anymore. Takes my mind of things. Karen turned aggressive when his problems overwhelmed him" She looked at him pointedly, and he idly wondered why she was defending _Karen_ from him.

"I'm overwhelmed too, and I don't sprang in random acts of violence against people who can't defend themselves" He pointed out rather acidly, and she snorted.

"No, you become a cold hearted bastard that shuts everybody else away. I saw you do it in TV, two years ago, when your short teammate, what his name... Ian, when he lost that battle with the American team and almost got himself killed in it. You sneered and scold him with a expressionless mask. You gained yourself the title of the toughest of Russia's bladers that year"

Tala whined sharply at that. _Damn._ He had done that, but it had been a pretense; with Boris breathing down his neck, he couldn't afford to be caring in public, much less in World Wide television. Ian still had those horrendous scars in his arms for that battle. He glared at her.

"Perhaps I do, but I have my reasons to be the way I am" He pointed out with a mild glare "I don't have anything against Ruvloff, I just want him to get away from me and my-" He bit his tongue "Out of my way" Sarah gave him a hard stare and shook her head.

"I don't even know what I told you that" There was a slight tint of bitterness and a definite hurt in that voice, his eyes narrowed.

"'Cause it's eating you inside" He said matter of factly, before he shook his head "Loving him is eating you inside" She stared at him, a mix of shock and awe, and blinked in disbelief.

"Am I that transparent?" She asked surprised, looking at him sharply and waiting for an answer. He shrugged.

"Perhaps not, but I can tell you're" He shrugged "Can't say I see what you like in him, but you wouldn't be defending him so fiercely, against me of all people, otherwise"

Suddenly, the whole reality of the scene crashed on Sarah, and she started laughing quietly, shaking her head in mild amusement. Tala rose an eyebrow curiously.

"You know, we met last night, you don't know a thing about me, I don't know anything about you beyond Julia's babble on your greatness, and yet we're here, discussing my life as if we were life long friends" The redhead shrugged.

"It happens a lot to me" He admitted with a soft grin "Don't ask me why people feel the sudden need to pour out the story of their lives to me. I guess I count it as social service by now"

"Really?" She asked curiously, blinking.

"It happens, I guess I'm just used to it" He snickered "This just brakes the mood" Sarah rolled her eyes.

"And here I was hoping you'd come and swept me up my feet and take me far, far away" She mock sighed, imitating Julia's dreamy expression, and Tala snorted, shaking his head and grimacing slightly.

"No romance, ok? Your sister's more than a guy like me can take" He shuddered again, then gave her a sly grin "Though you're rather cute, if you don't mind my comments"

She squeaked self-consciously, then glared at him darkly, though it was ruined by the blush gracing her face. The redhead rolled his eyes and laughed quietly. She pushed him half heartedly, but ended up half hugging him. _So much like him._ And shook her head slightly.

"Be my friend?" She muttered softly, not wanting to let go of him. He smiled, resting his chin on top of his head.

"Only if you promise to keep Karen and your sister out of the conversation" He said half heartedly, and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, brake the mood why don't you!" He rolled his eyes in turn "I mean, I'm here, opening my heart to you, and all you can think about is 'Keeping Karen out of the conversation'? What kind of insensitive bastard are you?"

"The kind that's dashing, handsome, and absolutely irresistible"

"And humble, don't _ever_ forget humble"

"Heh, of course"

* * *

Julia rose a calculative eyebrow when she sat in the kitchen, the phone sitting innocently in a corner, looking as silent as ever. Anastasia grimaced at the accusing look.

"What else was I to do to get you to talk to me without arousing suspicion, given that you were practically all over him?" Ma rose an eyebrow and snorted, while Julia looked away in mild embarrassment.

"Yeah, yeah, what's up Ma?" She looked at her mother in a more sober mood, instantly recognizing the older woman's knowing look.

"What do you think of him?" Ma said in a thoughtful tone "Of Tala, I mean, as a person, what do you think of him?"

"What?" Julia's eyebrow shot up, and her brow burrowed. Where the hell was Anastasia going to with this?

"Humor me" The matron said with a shrug, sitting in front of her and placing two cups of coffee in front of them.

"Um, well... he's strong, that much I'm sure" The dark haired woman said somewhat unconvinced "And he seems to be, you know, gentleman-ish, not rude, kinda cute actually... you know, um, _nice_"

Ma stared at Julia while she stumbled though her words and two things came clear to her. One, she had raised two word stumbling women, and two, Tala had indeed charmed said women. She heaved a sigh.

"Do you think that Sarah likes him?"

Now _that_ got Julia's attention._ You're not thinking what I think you're thinking Mrs. Strovskaya!_ She glared, but decided to play along.

"Like him, or you know, _really_ like him?" Ma gave her a blank stare that clearly pointed the answer "Anastasia Petrova Strovskaya! You will not do such thing!" The pale eyes of the younger woman were narrowed dangerously. Ma sighed.

"He's her age, she's been awfully depressed, and then this whole mess with Sasha, it'd do her good to get over Karen"

"But it's not fair!" Julia said scowling fiercely at the sheepish expression of her mother "Ma, she's almost an adult, and she _loves_ that blue haired bastard. Not likes, _loves_. Deeply, madly, completely. You can't take that away from her. I know you're worried, but you just can't" She looked softly into the elder's eyes, which were clouded with worry.

"God, you don't know what you're talking about" She glared "She barely eats, she haunts the damn restaurant, hovering the windows trying to get a glimpse of him, she's absent minded, her world's been crumbling down along with his. And the worst part is that he won't even acknowledge her anymore. He ignores her as he goes on his violent rampage against the world, blaming anyone but himself about his problems. The fact that Sasha's new found hobbies include liberal amounts of alcohol doesn't help the picture look good, does it?" Julia shook her head.

"It's still not fair. Not for Sarah, not for Tala. Who know how much of that the capital papers say is true about them? All that abused that they were supposedly put under? Do you think he's any more suitable for Sarah than Karen? And ultimately, who are _we_ to tell _her_ who to get on with?"

"In my times-" Ma started somewhat indignantly, but Julia snorted.

"Your times are dead Ma" The tone was dark and harsh "Do you even realize the regime fell? Freaking' hell, Anastasia, she's _free_, relatively and in just some aspects, but she _is_. And one of the few things she'll be free to decide on is who to spend the rest of her life with. You can't take that away from her, even if we know she's pinning for someone who's not worth the effort" She finish the last sentence darkly, just as her mother tried to counter it. Both sighed.

"But this boy... I don't know, I can feel he would be good for Sarah" The mother insisted, somewhat hopefully "I... Perhaps I can't impose them, but, nudge them? Hint at it? Sarah seems to trust him already!"

"Wouldn't you trust someone who, unknowingly even, saved you from an attack?" The dark haired woman's lips dripped venom in that question "Don't interfere with them! It's their life Mother, let them live them anyway they want to"

There was a tense silence as their eyes met, glaring fiercely at each other, before Anastasia looked away. Julia swallowed back a cry of triumph.

"Fine. I won't" She grimaced "But that doesn't mean I can't make him a _professional proposition_"

"Mother" Julia's tone was warning, but Ma shrugged.

"Hush you. He helped me out with the restaurant work today. He has the skill and he told me he needs a job" Julia opened her mouth to retort, but Anastasia shook her head "No, listen to me. Like it or not, I'm not getting any younger, Julia, and I'm everything you two've got left. You have this fancy new job in Krasnoyarsk, Aliosha's three months from proposing formally, and tight or rough, your life's already made. But what about Sarah? I mean, we know I'm not going to live forever, and if she decided to continue with this" She waved around, motioning to the kitchen and the restaurant "I don't want her to be alone. God knows I work like a mule for the few scraps we get to somehow survive. Tatiana's a godsend, with all the support she's given us with Sarah's scholarship, that should make it easier for her to get out of this hellhole" She sighed in despair.

The silence stretched in the room, each woman going through their thoughts of the past, the present and their uncertain futures. Finally Julia sighed, smiling faintly.

"I guess..." She seemed to choose her words carefully "That it would do Sarah a great deal of good to have a new _friend_" She put emphasis in that with a glare "To bring a change of air, if so you want. But you will _not_ push anything else, you hear me Mother? _Nothing_"

Anastasia smiled brightly.

* * *

"_What?_"

Sarah and Tala blinked and looked at each other a bit sheepishly, before looking back at the older women, Tala with a risen eyebrow, Sarah with a mortified stare.

"That if you would consider working here, Tala" Anastasia repeated herself patiently "With a proper salary and all of course"

The redhead watched the elder somewhat surprised. And as he run his eyes from each female to the next, he bit his lip in a thoughtful expression. He _liked_ them, and he'd love to work on something that his mother had loved so much... He doubted though, he knew the work would be exhausting, and that even though he could probably get enough for the Tournament, he would be working overtime. He sighed, knowing this the chance he was looking for. He smiled.

"I'd be delighted to" He tilted his head forward a bit "Particularly considering the honor of working with such a pretty lady, like your self ma'am"

The sudden tension dissolved into playful laughter, as they walked back into the kitchen and a few costumers started to flow inside. They decided to get on work before driving Tala home.

* * *

"Wow, this place sure looks great!" Julia commented off handy as they walked over the small bridge towards the center.

"Yeah, you get used to it soon, though" Tala said with a mild shrug "Now if you don't mind, be prepared to save my neck, 'cause I believe Krystal dear is pissed off" Julia frowned at his somewhat frosty tone.

Indeed was said woman glaring at him for all she was worth, standing in the doorway of the Office Cabin, a murderous expression in her face. Vlad was a few steps behind her, wearing a similar thunderous expression to that of his boss. The redhead mentally whined, though he didn't show it, he had anticipated Krystal being angry, but he hadn't expect it to this degree.

"How _could_ you?" Krystal's voice held a definite tint of tight self control, as if she was straining herself to not yell bloody murder at him.

Which she was.

The redhead shrugged.

"Something turned up last night, it was late, and I got somewhere to spend the night. Sorry if I didn't call in"

"Call in? Call in!" Her tone was disbelieving, and Julia had the sinking feeling something was amiss "You think all this is about you not calling in! How can you be so damn uncaring Ivanov! You almost killed him!"

_That_ got both of the newcomers' attention in an instant. Julia's throat tightening, Tala's brow frowning.

"What the hell are you talking about?" His tone had dropped into an icy, defensive one, and his eyes had narrowed, contracting visibly. Krystal snarled.

"I'm talking about Mr. Ruvloff storming here at seven in the morning, claiming you attacked _Karen_ last night. _That's_ the hell I'm talking about"

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_Old regime: This references to the Communist period. The teens were burned in the middle of it's fall, so I'm going to pretend they don't understand much of it (Aliosha's and Vlad's youngest sibling, Pietro, doesn't have a clue about it) and I'm trying to mix a bit of the generation struggle in this. Besides, political disclosure is an specialty of mine._

_Wee... Cliffhanger! I'm evil... Anyway:_

_1). I'll tell you what Itza's sport is, soon._

_2). Cookie if you figure out what the hell is going on in "the warehouse"_

_3). I like the Strovskaya family! Heh, I hope you guys enjoyed them as much as I did, they are sure fun to deal with._

_4). I made a geographical map with the locations, so you get an idea of just how far away from Europe they are. I've read a few fics and they are like "Sure, we'll be in Siberia in two hours!" And I'm like, "hell you will!". So, because I'm a Russian fanatic and it pisses me off when people don't get the concepts of distance right (that and 'cause I was obsessed and bored). You can find it here: (remove spaces) http / img . photobucket . com / albums / v117 / FyneInverse / LtF . jpg_

_If you feel like it, leave a review. Cya next chapter._


	7. Chapter Seven

_(A/N) Wee, new chapter! I like this one, it came out somewhat rocky at the start, but it ends up rather nicely, if I can say so myself. Before any of you get confused the first scene happens about two or three days before last chapter. I didn't add it before because... well it wasn't properly done and it would have made the delay even longer :winces: don't hurt me._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, but I do own the plot and the original characters._

**_

* * *

_**

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Seven, Murphy's Law..._**

_(Or why when you think things can't get worse or more complicated, they do.)_

Kai's eyes traveled from the blade and the envelope before him to his mother's unnerving stare back to the white blade. He blinked.

"What?" His tone was incredulous, and he sought an answer in his mother's grey eyes. Kat shook her head.

"They are both dead; killed on cold blood, found their bodies in the manor in Kyoto. Although there's no sign of Omikami anywhere, the police think she's dead" His mother's tone wasn't particularly careless, yet it was as if she was talking about the weather. He frowned, following her game.

"Do they now? And you?" He raised an eyebrow, replying in the same tone, and though he was indeed upset by the news, he hid it well.

"Why, I believe she's still alive and captive somewhere. We both know, better than anyone, that it's not that uncommon for enemies of rich people kill them and then keep their kids. It's some kind of ironic joke for them" He could clearly see the gears running under the facade of amusement. His frown deepened.

"But why do I get her blade, and what are we doing about this?" He asked somewhat puzzled, motioning with his head towards the white blade neatly resting on the desk.

"Because she's your fiancée" The slate haired woman stated plainly, as if explained everything... which it did, for her "And I'm her legal guardian if she's still alive. And I'm going to track every single possible attacker to her and her family and I _will_ find her. And you" She pointed that with a very efficient glare "You will shut up and pretend nothing's wrong. I've been able to keep everything under wraps, but if someone spills even a word of this, hell will brake loose, given _you_ are their only heir, if their daughter doesn't appear, you'll be the major suspect. We both know that's stupid, love, but really, what in this world isn't?" She rolled her eyes and shook her head, her messy slate hair flying around.

Kai nodded, looking at his mother with a determinate air, and when she caught sight of it, her eyes softened, and she smiled tenderly, reaching out to run her hand over his hair.

She was medium sized, a bit tall for Japanese standards, but perfect for Russians. Her hair was slate and messy, naturally setting into bangs and falling into her shoulders in disarray that somehow was perfect for her. Her eyes were two grey mirrors, sly and cunning, yet gentle and tender. Her pale complexion mirrored her son's, yet she was easy to smile and much less hermetic than him. She wore her vermilion business suit stoically, not quite looking like the fearsome business woman she was and much more like the caring mother she yearned to properly be. Katherine Mihailovna Hiwatari was a force to reckon with.

Noting her son's poorly veiled concern, she smiled; glad to see Kai's human nature surfacing slowly. It pained her to see him suffer, but she knew it was the only way to make him react and embrace his own nature. While she wasn't all that sure about his team, she was glad they were helping him out of his shell, even if it was just a little. Walking around the desk, she moved towards him, wrapping her arms around him, feeling warmth spread in her chest when he unconsciously leaned closer.

"It'll be fine, Kai. She's a strong girl, and we'll find her, you'll see, she'll be showering you with attention in no time" She ran a hand over the unruly dual colored hair, and heard him sigh in despair, to the notion or the situation wasn't perfectly clear.

"She's strong when Nyx's with her. Without her... her talents are stronger than Tala's, mom, if hers spin out of control..." He shuddered at the implications, and recoiling to his concern, the bit in the white blade glowed fiercely.

"Don't worry yourself with things you can't control Kai. I will see what I can do about this, you have enough to deal with as it is, with these teams pesting you around, you'll need to keep a close eye on yours now" She stepped back, looking at him in the eye, and he looked away. She sighed "I know you care, and it's not wrong, but concentrate Kai. Letting them steal Dranzer won't help us any"

"I'm sorry" He winced inwardly at the reminder of the Saint Shields latest attack, and he hung his head slightly "I try... but Tyson's too stubborn, he doesn't realize this goes for real, that he could really lose Dragoon in this mess, and the others, sans Rei, don't seem really concern about it" He sighed "It's like babysitting a bunch of kids!" He seemed irritated, unknowingly showing a vast range of emotions to his ever watchful mother. She chuckled.

"A bunch of kids you're awfully fond of, if I recall correctly. But now go, I have things to do, and you have people to boss around"

He sulked slightly as she ruffled his hair lightly, but complied, walking away, the white blade and the envelope in hand.

_You just hang on Omi, I'm gonna get you back real soon..._

* * *

"Kai? You ok?" The soft voice startled him, making him stand straight and blink.

"Huh?" He looked up and found Hillary looking curiously at him, he shook his head "Yeah, fine" He shrugged and looked at the front of the classroom, where their teacher was rambling on physics.

He blew a strand of hair out of his eyes in boredom, but Hillary, after sending him a thoroughfully look, couldn't quite shake the feeling he was acting strange. Shrugging, she followed his example and tried to pay attention to the boring lecture, but not with much success.

Just then, she noticed the small silver chain that was visible under the shirt of his uniform, and wondered what he could possibly be hiding there. She knew Kai was not one for jewelry, his earring cast aside, and he didn't seem overly religious either. Deep within her musings, she took the chance to look at him detailed, and almost adoringly. She knew it was a silly thing, to have a crush on Kai, and given that he would probably never look at her like more than a watcher and some kind of member of the team, much less reciprocate her feelings, but she couldn't help herself. He was fascinating, perfect.

He looked so human sitting there, next to her, wearing the school's uniform, still armed with his blue face paint and his earring, not blading, just... existing. Living. She held back a shiver at the memory of the coldness those eyes could muster in a glare, and the fierce look in his face when he was battling. The strong smell of the cologne she knew he used reached her faintly, and she felt herself fall deeply within her daydreams of him as her knight in shinning armor, which were all shattered when the bell rang.

Jumping startled, she almost missed his decided stroll as he walked out of the classroom, face somehow grimmer than usual. Curious, and somehow confused, Hillary followed him towards the bench the team shared in free periods and lunch time, and found all of them looking particularly sober. Even Tyson seemed to be more thoughtful than usual.

_Must be those Saint Shields and those Psy-whatever freaks attacks..._ She mused somewhat darkly, but once more she found herself discreetly looking at Kai, and she couldn't quite hide her frown. _He does look more gloomy than usual though, even for himself. I wonder..._

* * *

"_What?_"

The incredous exclamation came from Julia and Tala, both staring at Krystal as if she had grown an extra head. Tala's vision blurred when white hot anger surged through him, and stumbling slightly, he turned his eyes towards Julia, who was going through a very terrifying transformation. Her brow frowned, and her lips twisted into a fierce snarl, eyes flashing murder as two silver, flat mirrors. Overlapping his vision, he saw a flow of red light glow around her as her anger grew, and recognizing the signs, he gasped, unconsciously breaking the trance, his vision returning to normal. He stumbled a little, but both, Krystal's and Vlad's attention were settled in Julia's... _interesting_ choice of wording, to voice her opinion of the matter.

"That two faced, sly bastard! How dares he!" Her screech seemed to startle both adults, while Tala winced slightly.

He himself was pissed off, rather greatly, but somehow he suddenly felt as if he was stuffed into a cotton-filled bubble, watching everything around him, but not really understanding what was going on.

And he hated it.

Meanwhile, nobody took into account Tala's sudden episode, being busy discussing the situation, Krystal looking annoyed, Julia defending the redhead fiercely, and Vlad looking grim. The redhead's general discomfort seemed to escalate as the conflict and the discussion got more and more heated. Neither of them seemed to notice they were fighting outside the Office, in an open area where any of the children could see or hear them. Tala felt his consciousness, for some reason, slip slowly from himself, he leaned in one of the supports of the cabin/office foyer, and a maelstrom of emotion swirled through him, closing his eyes, he fought fiercely to regain control of himself. _It cannot be... I lost them long ago, they left me!_ Tala's frantic thoughts were emulated in his breathing, as he slowly, but surely started hyperventilating himself, leaning heavily against the pillar, fighting what he knew to be a losing battle with himself. This seemed to call attention to himself, but when the three adults reacted, he was already on the floor, knelling and grasping the last strings of consciousness.

"Tala!" Julia cried out as she reached for him, but she recoiled when she touched him.

He was freezing.

As he crumbled before them, the faint baby blue glow began to wrap itself around him, and temperature started to drop dramatically, frost and ice appearing in the floor and the pillar he was leaning in. He shivered and his face crumbled in agony as a searing pain cursed through him.

Miles away, the source of his misery, the upsetting power in the balance, screeched in anger, while a cooing, soft voice whispered in his ears, so close and yet so distant he felt himself sink further in his own despair.

_Let them come; they belong here, with you, with **us**..._

"No... Not again..." His voice was soft and pleading, as another surge of pain ripped through him.

And he passed out.

* * *

The woman in the foyer rested her cup on the small table, and raised her vivid green eyes to the darkening sky.

"Did you feel that?" Her voice was curious, and somewhat rhetoric, yet her voice was pleasant, as it traveled into the small house with the soft sea breeze that blew her crimson hair into her face.

"You would need to be completely mortal not to feel it" A rather dry voice retorted and another woman, a bit taller, stepped into view.

Her hair was also red, a similar tone of brilliant crimson that it seemed as if blood itself was braided on her back. But her eyes, a sober violet, and her general appearance was much more neat that the other woman. Both wore their hair in braids, and it reached their middle backs, but while hers was tightly made, and not a single hair fell on her face, the other's was messy, with a disarray of strands falling over her brow, obscuring her face in a strange, mysterious way. The newcomer sat on the table next to the shorter woman, bringing a cup of tea and a small jewelry box with her and smirked somewhat ironically.

"Oh well, but the boy's almost a mortal now" Her voice held a tint of slight bitterness, at which the other woman snorted.

"Yet Anuk has not abandoned him, so neither should we, Uath" The shorter woman's voice held a tone of command, and it made the other woman, Uath, snort.

"Yes, but Anuk didn't abandon Nied, and she's dead. What's so special about that kid, Saille?" Rolling her eyes, Uath, the taller and much more stern looking redhead said with a risen eyebrow, her eyes looking harsh.

"Ah, well. Nothing much, besides the fact he can unleash the power of Winter at his will, or that he's your sister's son, or the fact he's the strongest of us" Saille's tone was full of sarcasm delivered with a boredom look, as if she was thinking deeply about the matter. Her green eyes twinkled as her mouth set on a grin "There's the fact he's Alek's age..." Uath rolled her eyes.

"I'd really love to know _why_ when Nied did something good, she was _your_ sister, but when all hell broke loose, she's suddenly _mine_?" The violet eyed woman asked with a frown, making her sister chuckle slightly, as she fingered an emerald pendant that hung regally from her neck.

"Oh well, I'm the elder, as such I have some prerogatives over you... anyway, I believe it would be good time for me to give him a _flash_ visit, wouldn't it?" She shook her head at her own wording. Uath snorted again.

"Yes... it just wouldn't do to let him reveal ourselves, however unknowingly. Nied might even return to pester us for it" Rolling her eyes at the notion, she sipped her tea, motioning for her less stoic looking sister to go for it. Snickering, Saille stood up, taking the small jewelry box with her.

"Be right back then..." She started walking away in the snow, the wind blowing his already messy hair in disarray "Oh, will you make some chocolate? I want to see those Beyblade battles' videos I got last month... ta ta"

And in a sudden blizzard hit, she was gone.

* * *

"She's weakling sir" A woman said somewhat hesitatingly, offering the taller man the records of performance of their white haired captive. When he didn't answer, she continued "Her resistance to the blade is remarkable, although it's taking a high toll on her. She's wasting away, and I believe she would rather die than let the Beast take control" She winced at the snort that came from the man in the chair.

"That is exactly what we want. Her weakness is of the mind, not of the body. Once the constant attack of Darkness, the exact opposing element to that she naturally controls, weakens her mind enough, she will be a powerful host for the Beast. Continue according to plan, and inform me of any progress with the tank. I want to know when it's been fully installed"

The woman bowed respectfully and walked away from the room, leaving the man alone. His eyes narrowed as his lips twisted into a vicious sneer, centering his vision in a particularly big cutout of a newspaper, a photograph of the Demolition Boys taken three years before, when they had won their first World Championship. His eyes glinted with an animal light as he contemplated his plan.

"You will pay, all of you, you will pay for this humiliation... with your lives"

* * *

"Had this ever happened before? Why no one told us about it? It's not even in his file!"

Krystal talked her random thoughts as she paced the length of her office, Vlad had managed to get the unconscious teen into a couch, half freezing himself in the process, and he and Julia had gone up to the team's cabin to look for them.

Tala shivered in his restless state, trying to curl himself into a ball, still glowing irregularly in the eerie blue light, and muttering unintelligible pleas under his breath. The couch was half covered by ice and snow now, and the sheet of frost was slowly spreading. The fair haired woman squeaked in fright as her feet cracked the thin ice sheet under them, making her slip slightly. Bryan, Ian, Spencer and Lizeth stumbled into her office in a riot, anxious and angry, followed by a confused Vlad and a dazed Julia. Everyone stared at the redhead incredous. Lizeth in particular seemed shaken by the redhead's state. She had had some strange episodes herself, but nothing could compare to this. She felt Sherak recoil in a strange mix of fear and respect, and she swallowed hard.

"Well?" Krystal was getting impatient, but worried non the less "You four live with him, three of you have known him for years. What's going on?" She tried to glare, but it was ruined when she had to scramble away from the couch, her heels getting stuck in the frost.

The three males shared looks, hoping one of the others would know something, but receiving the same dishearten and unknowing look from each other. The eerie glow started to intensify, pulsating violently, and the redhead shuddered, moaning lowly.

Ian's eyes widened.

"Kai!" All eyes turned to him "Kai knows! I remember, we were young, too young, and Boris had just started to pick up on Tala, and then something freaky happened. His room started to freeze and everything got covered with frost and snow... Kai kicked me out with the rest of the kids, but he stayed inside..." He trailed off, seeing Krystal's eyes widening in understandment "I have his phone in the cabin"

With that, he promptly disappeared, going to fetch it.

"I think we have to get out, the ice's reaching us" Vlad said somewhat numbly, and after a few seconds of indecision, in which the unholy ice spread faster, they all but run away.

* * *

"Urg"

A hand came out from the mess of blankets, reaching about for the damned thing that was causing the unholy screech. A grunt, a snarl and few muttered curses and the pale hand managed to find the cell phone.

"What? And it'd better be good"

There was silence in the room as some frantic Russian was heard through the terrible reception, before the whole block heard a...

"_He's **what**!_"

Beat.

"**_Mom!_**"

* * *

Krystal blinked as she hung the phone, looking torn between amusement and shock. But it washed away from her face as she looked at the rather worried young adults in front of her, straightening herself, she sighed in relieve.

"Apparently he's done this before, your friend was rather _vocal_ in telling me so, but he also says we should mind our bloody own business and if any of us? I'm assuming he meant you; bring this up to the redhead we will be roasted and taken into the fiery pits of hell"

"Trust him to shot a murderous remark in the situation..." Ian snorted as he muttered under his breath, voicing the thoughts of the other blank stared people in the room. Krystal sighed, shaking her head.

"From among the constant, half asleep, poorly constructed and heavily accented pleas, threats and suggestions on leaving our cynical redhead to himself, I managed to come up with two things, this is a natural condition derivates from his own bloodline and that there's nothing we can do to stop them from happening, in your friend's words, _less we make the world stop spinning_. That they are sporadically and represent no danger for _him_, given that his body is essentially immune to it, but that we would do good to stay away until it stops. And" She frowned slightly, twisting her mouth in a thin line "The ice is _real_. I don't believe in magic crap and the like, but I know for a fact that those Beyblade which carry bit beasts inside hold an enormous power. I willing to bet this has something to do with that wolf of his, but I think it will be best if we follow your friend's advice, apparently he knows what's going on, and I really don't want to do something that would result on damaging Tala, but I _will_ get to the bottom of this. I'm not that particularly fond of letting him harm himself" She seemed grim, but somewhat soothed by whatever Kai had told her.

"I'll have to leave soon, but I'd like to sort this whole Ruvloff's mess before he wakes" Julia said gathering all her wits, and trying to sound somewhat calm "Before anything, and before you start throwing _ungrounded_ accusations at him" She felt the other, hostile looking teens turn to face her sharply "I'd like to make it clear that he _did_ got engage in a fight last night, but if anything, it was not with Karen, but with _Sasha_ Ruvloff, the little bastard, who if you don't know, is quite older than Tala and who was harassing _my_ sister, and who has bruises that confirm that story. So, if I'd ask you a favor, find out what's going on before jumping into conclusions on people, particularly about those so misunderstood as Tala are. I can honestly say he hasn't done anything to deserve a punishment, if anything, he deserves better. But I'll leave the conclusion of that to you, I've got to catch a train to Krasnoyarsk, or my boss will have my head" She rolled her eyes, winked with several high notes of innuendo at the three present Demolition Boys, spared a smile to Lizeth's narrowed glare, and walked away, yet she stopped at the doorframe "We'll see again, Madame, I'm sure Tala's new _involvement_ with my family, economically and otherwise shall ensure that. If you excuse me?"

And she was gone, walking down the road towards the old van with a strange sense of security. They watched her go, and each thought about her words, some with apprehension, and others with curiosity. Krystal sighed again.

"Well, it's a Saturday; I guess we should go our ways... I'll call you as soon as he wakes, preferably after he has defrosted my Office..." She rubbed her eyes, her naturally cheerful personality somewhat clouded by her concern "If you excuse the word, scram, please"

* * *

Traveling inside a blizzard was, decidedly, one of the most uncomfortable ways of reaching a destination, Saille, the witch of the icy winds, concluded with a soft huff of mild annoyance, brushing the soft remains of frost that fell over her elegant black coat and looked around with a risen eyebrow.

"Ok, you overdid yourself this time, Anuk" She muttered as she looked at the perfectly frozen walls of the at some time cozy cabin.

A low growl made her turn around and a smile softened her features. There was the boy, curled in a ball, shivering in fear, glowing with the same peaceful, lovely aura his mother had, suffering from the afterglow of such a harsh attempt against the balance. His guardian, the mighty Ice God was sitting in his hindquarters, still as a statute, blue eyes unnervingly set on her. Saille walked towards them, immune to the harsh temperatures inside the room, a small cocoon of ice and frost, and stop shortly from the boy and the beast, before she bowed respectfully.

"I play my respects to thee, Pillar of our Land, and to the boy thou have chosen. I bring thee the jewel that it is his for rights of birth"

The beast's eyes turned away from it's charge, setting on Saille's tranquil green ones, and it nodded it's massive head once, before it's endless blue deeps returned to the indiffence creature to which it was bound to.

Saille stood and walked slowly towards the softly moaning redhead, and brushing a hand over his hair in a motherly fashion, left the small jewelry box next to his hand, then leaning in to brush a soft kiss over his brow.

"Son jorosho, moy vozliublienniy detionish, basha mat pordilas bi Bami, imel, ona pozvolila videt Bas"

She straightened, and bowing softly to the Wolf once more, she turned and left, into her blizzard, her words echoing inside the troubled youth's mind, soothing with it's familiarity some of the cruel nightmares inside.

* * *

He came around with a groan and a headache the size of Siberia nestled in his temples. Sitting back, he stretched, his stiff muscles cracking back into place, and yawning slightly, looked around. He was in Krystal's office, but it was now frost-free. He reached for the strange black jewel box with some familiarity when a chuckle made him turn to face the door, where Krystal was resting against, an amused smiled on her face.

"I was starting to worry about you"

* * *

Hillary and the rest blinked when a beautiful sound came up from their piled schoolbags. Kai sighed, rolling his eyes and reached a hand into his own, retrieving his cell phone. He raised an eyebrow at the startled looks of his teammates and shrugging, accepted the call, already walking away.

"About time Ivanov" There was a definite smirk in his voice as he exited the room, leaving some incredulous looking teens inside.

"Kai has a cell phone?" Tyson blinked as he asked out loud "Never seemed the type for that..."

"Stop fussing about it Tyson" The chief admonished "We have training and more important things to do than to guess about Kai's private life"

"Chief's right Ty, Kai never likes it when he poke his privacy" Max nodded, re-attaching Draciel to his launcher. Rei snickered.

"Or anything else for the matter" The black haired teen mused with a smirk, and gained himself a few rolled eyes.

"Still, wonder who this Ivanov could be?" Hillary thought out loud, her gaze still fixed on the door.

The battle between Max and Rei started though, and she lost interest in the mysterious call.

* * *

"_Shut it, Hiwatari, you sound like my mother_" Tala's annoyed voice cut Kai's rant short, and the blunette, resting against a wall, snorted.

"Fine, but don't _do_ that... Your _owner_ woke me at two bloody in the morning cause she didn't know what was going on"

"_And we all know how much you need your beauty sleep-_"

"Shut _up_!"

"_-and she's not my **owner** you big bastard, she's the Center's director_"

"Same thing"

"_Hiwatari..._"

"Ok, sorry, my fault... so, how are you?"

"_Compared to whom?_"

"Ha-fucking-ha. I'm serious Ivanov"

"_Truthfully? Like someone stuck a ton of cotton in my head. At least I'm not dizzy anymore, if that counts for something. I'm hypersensitive right now, my sweater stitches and I need to do some exercise to burn extra energy... by the way, what time and day is it?_"

"Monday, 2pm where I am... now you get why we were so worried?"

"_Horse-shit, last time I was out only two hours... wait, how much I'm behind you?_"

"Given that I _am_ perfect and you're just trying, I'd say a few years, but-"

"_In hours Kai, don't be a fucking asshole_"

"Kidding, four hours, oh ever graceful one"

"_You're one sick, sick bastard... anyway; at least I'll be able to get to work on time_"

"Work? You know the meaning of the word?"

"_Quoting you, ha-fucking-ha. Of course I know the meaning of the word, dumbass_"

"And, if I may know, what are you working on?"

"_A restaurant_"

"You _are_ aware that admission makes you owe me twenty grand right?"

"_Shut. Up_"

"Heh... missed our talks"

"_Yeah, no one else I know can make me feel like shit so much like you yet making it as loving as you do_"

"A simple missed you too would have been enough"

"_I know, I like messing with you though... Kai?_"

"...Yeah?"

"_How are you? Any news?_"

". . ."

"_Kai?_"

"Amaterasu Manor was deserted. Kat buried her parents properly and kicked the press to shut up... but there's still nothing on her yet"

"_Shit_"

"Indeed... you know, sometimes, I wake up and Nix's glowing softly, and it's as if she was there too... remember how much of a fuss she used to make about treating things respectfully and how everything was connected?"

"_Yeah, she was always poking me to develop my gifts further... was annoying most of the time, but to tell the truth you could **never** stay mad at her. Charming little bugger_"

"I miss that"

"_I know... but you said it yourself, Kat's doing everything she can to get things under control..._"

"I feel like a freaking' lovesick fool"

"_News flash Blue, you **are**. Were since the first time you set your eyes on her. Hell, even **Ian** knew you loved her. Was written in sick pink letters all over your face_"

"You aren't being of much moral support here"

"_Like you wanted me to go and cry alongside you about your lost one true love..._"

"Ok, ok, I get the idea... jeez one would think that you would have some nicer things to tell me given you haven't talked me in _months_"

"_Yeah... How about I tell you you're slacking off by letting those Saint Idiots get under your skin?_"

"Please tell me the whole _I might end up being a psychologist_ idea is a joke, 'cause if you keep being so _subtle_ you're gonna push a few of your future clients into suicide"

"_That's why Bryan's gonna take up the morgue_"

". . .sick bastard"

"_You know you love me and my sick humor, so stop complaining. **And** as your **Capitan**, I should yell at you for that poor performance with your team, and by letting your feelings get on the way, and because you have forsaken **the scarf**, and because I don't like your new hairstyle, and because you aren't wearing you earring anymore, and-_"

"I get the point, thank you"

"_Heh_"

"So... aren't you supposed to be on school right now?"

"_Key word being supposed. I just woke up and called you... after Krystal yelled her way through the ceiling of course_"

"Of course"

"_So, I was too late to get to class on time, and once I'm done with torturing your poor soul, I'll get downtown, pick up Sarah, say hi to the guys, get myself yelled at, **yet again**, and get to work, neat ne?_"

"_Sarah_? Do I smell romance in the frosts of Siberia?"

"_No you don't. She's a friend and her mother owns the restaurant I'll be working at_"

"Ah, Tala, ever the cunning one, why you evil prick, getting working privileges for being the boyfriend?"

"**_It's not like that!_**"

"You keep telling yourself that"

"_I **haaaate** you_"

"Feeling's mutual Red"

"_Hn, bastard. Anyway, I've got three miles of snow and frost to keep me entertained for the next hour or so... gotta go_"

"Sure, I think I can log in for a short while tonight, maybe we could finish this there"

"_Yeah_"

"Tala?"

"_Mm?_"

"Take care"

"_Always. You too... and, if it's any consolation, I believe she's alive and well and waiting somewhere for you to come and make the knight in shinning armor display_"

"Asshole!"

"_Bastard?_"

"Bye"

"_Bye Kai_"

* * *

"Hey Ma!" Tala entered the kitchen with familiarity and sure enough there was the matron working, upon seeing him, however, she smiled broadly, reaching out to hug him.

"Oh sweet lord, you're _fine_! We were so _worried_" Once again, the redhead squeaked in an undignified manner as all air was forced out of his lungs.

"Ma! Can't... breath..." Tala choked out, trying to softly push the woman away from him.

"Oh dear, sorry!" Anastasia immediately let go and looked at him concerned "Are you ok?"

"Gah" The redhead answered blinking and taking a deep breath "Now that I can breath? Peachy Ma'am"

"What happened? Julia was so freaked out when she got here!"

"I'm _fine_, _really_! Was just too tired and blacked out, nothing out of the extraordinary, really Ma, I'm fine" He repeated firmly, feeling a strange pang of guilt at lying at the woman, but he knew it was for the best.

"Honestly?" She seemed a bit worried still as she asked, looking at him firmly.

"Honest" The redhead answered with a slight shrug and a half smile "Can we get to work?"

"Yes... but you're going to pick up Sarah from school, she was the most worried of us about you" Tala didn't like the undertone hinting underneath her voice but ignored it in favor of getting down to work.

* * *

"_You sound incredibly confident, if I may say_"

"I am merely conscious of the facts. Tell me, have you gathered the new team?"

"_I've chosen them carefully. Talented bladers, owners of sacred spirits, amateurs, but with potential. They just need the... ah, **proper guidance**_"

"Are they trustworthy?"

"_I believe so. They feel indebted to me, so they should obey my orders without a thought_"

"Good, good, perhaps this alliance was a better idea than what I had first anticipated"

"_I've done my part, and you? Do you have that miracle blader already?_"

"She's still _getting to know_ her new bit beast properly, but she should be ready for the tournament"

"_And if she isn't?_"

"Then we will simply use your team and chose one of them to carry my blade"

"_Mm, I don't like it_"

"I'm not asking your opinion on the matter. If you wish to hold the power of the Dark Blade, you will do it through me, otherwise we can consider the negotiations over"

"_That is not what I meant. I just don't think we should be so confident on a blade_"

"Ah, but you think that because you have never seen it's full potential. I have, I _created_ it. It's a power that's well beyond your scope"

"_So be it, but I still don't like it_"

"So little faith you have... but we'll see in the end who was right"

"_So we will... so we will_"

* * *

"Tala!"

"Oof"

The redhead shook his head, wrapping an arm around the excited brunette and lowering her to the ground. Sarah beamed at him.

"Shh, I'm fine... I'll tell you later... guys"

Bryan, Ian, Spencer and Lizeth looked at him, obviously awaiting an explanation. He shrugged.

"Hey, don't look so blue. You can't really expect a bit of frost to get you rid of me, can you?" Bryan hit him upside down "Ouch, what the hell was that for?"

"Oh, I don't know... for disappearing and then getting frosted?" The moonlight eyes narrowed as Bryan's voice dropped sarcasm. Tala scoffed.

"Or better yet, for never bothering on telling someone what's going on with you?" Spencer gave his two cents by glaring darkly at his team Capitan.

Ian looked more like he was relieved to see the redhead well, and Lizeth just rose an eyebrow in question. Tala, again, shrugged, dismissing the matter as unimportant.

"Go back to the center, you can dissect me tonight, right now I've got work to do" He glared back at the incredulous looks he got.

"Work? You know the meaning of the word?" Ian asked with a risen eyebrow and Tala bared his teeth.

"Don't make me hurt you Ian"

"Yeah, he's fine alright... can we go now? I'm _hungry_" Ian complained, loudly. Bryan and Spencer shared looks of amusement and smirked. Lizeth sighed, shaking her head in mock despair.

"I feel so fucking loved right now... go away you, backstabbing lot" He shooed them away, pretending to be affronted, but in truth, they were all smirking and/or grinning.

He watched them go with a mildly content look on his face, then shaking his head, he turned to Sarah.

"You" She pointed the word by poking his chest "Are the leader of a very strange and crazy lot"

"Yes... aren't I the lucky one?"

_

* * *

_

_Notes on this chapter: _

_Son jorosho, moy vozliublienniy detionish, basha mat pordilas bi Bami, imel, ona pozvolila videt Bas. Sleep well, my beloved cub, your mother would have been proud of you, had she been allowed to see you. I could have left that in English, but for some reason, it felt better in Russian._

_So, there is it... surprisingly enough, Itza was absent... and also, after re-reading my reviews, I came around one that said that she always won everything. My fault, she doesn't. In chapter five she's blading against Spencer, but if you noticed, they **both** recovered their blades after the match. I had specified that it was a game against time, but I changed my mind at last moment and removed that specification. Basically she's teasing Spencer 'cause he took too long to beat her and his time run out. Spencer can actually beat the crap out of her, that he chooses to do otherwise is another story completely. _

_I left the phone conversations as dialogues without expression because I think the lines speak for themselves, and because it just felt better that way... tell me what you think about it._

_Anyway, anyone willing to guess what's going on? I shall give cookies to whoever guesses right! That, or a pic of Maritza and Lizeth I'm supposed to scan sometime this week... Cya next chapter, and **review!**_


	8. Chapter Eight

_(A/N) Well, new chapter and no angst in this one! It's pure harmless humor, to make up for the tension of the last one. Heh, I always wanted to do something with that title... enjoy!_

_By the way, I'm calling a poll on this fic, check my live journal (URL's on my bio) and answer me there, will you? I'm curious as to what will come out of it..._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, but I own plot and OC._

* * *

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Eight, The Wonders Of Living With A Female..._**

"Are you-" Yawn "-up already?" Tala poked his head into Bryan and Lizeth's room, looking half asleep himself.

"Urg"

"G'way"

"Lizeth, get your lazy ass out of bed and into the shower or Ian's getting it first"

Bryan's embrace was suddenly empty and Tala was half tackled by a black blur speeding towards the bathroom. Bryan grunted and rearranged himself to sleep a few more minutes. Tala chuckled.

Ten minutes later, wrapped in a yellow towel, the sour looking female re-entered her room, muttering about evil redheads from hell. Bryan muttered something intelligible and Lizeth glared daggers at him.

"If _I_ have to get up at unholy hours, so have you... you've got three seconds to get out of bed Bryan" She was sporting quite the evil eye, even though she was still wearing only a towel and her hair was plastered down her back.

Bryan ignored her.

"Three... two... one... gotcha!"

"Fuck!"

Lizeth ended up with all the sheets in her right hand, Bryan ended up as an undignified heap on the floor. He glared.

"Oh for god's sake, stop acting like a kid and get to the shower. I need to change" Her eyes narrowed down to slits when he smirked, rising an eyebrow suggestively "Out Kuznestov. _Now!_"

She could hear his low laugh all the way through the bathroom.

55

"Fucking... knots... hell... ouch!"

"For all you complain, you should cut the whole bunch and be over and done with it" Bryan snickered as he leaned against the doorframe, gracing his roommate with a smirk.

He was already wearing his pants for the day, light brown cargo ones that hung a bit low on his hips, but was shirtless and toweling his hair as he watched Lizeth go through her daily hair ritual. Her long hair was carefully brushed and groomed each morning, before she braided it in her usual style. It was something Bryan had easily grown accustomed to, and something he enjoyed teasing her about.

The black haired teen bared her fangs like a fussed up feline, her hands curling around her hair protectively.

"Just a suggestion, jeez Wench you act like a bloody cat in heat" He snickered when she both flushed and snarled.

"The only heat you're getting is that of your roasted ass. Now get here and help me out, bastard" Her eyes were two fine slits of black as she spoke. Bryan shook his head in mock despair, setting the towel on his shoulders.

"You" He took the discarded brush and sat behind her "Are a lost case, where vanity's concerned"

"Am not! ... hey! Watch it, that's something _delicate_ you're dealing with there..." She winced slightly when he struck a knot, but generally relaxed as he brushed her hair, rather gently.

"If you start purring, I'm leaving" Bryan pointed out as she let out a feline-esque sound, and jammed an elbow at him.

* * *

"I hate him some days, I swear I really do" The black haired teen muttered under her breath as she tried to return her breathing to normal, all the while sending Tala the evil eye. Bryan, next to her, considerably less flushed and soaked, snorted.

"I don't know why, really, all he does is waking us at bloody four in the morning to train 'cause he has work in evenings and he can't boss us around to train then. Perfectly adorable if you ask me"

"...shut up. I can't even appreciate sarcasm at this hour" Lizeth sulked slightly as Ian got yelled at by the upbeat redhead.

She truly didn't know how he did it, but when she found out; she was either hooking up on it, or destroying it permanently.

Probably the second.

"...and you keep edging too far left, Ian. Wyborg needs a proper center balance to launch her attack and... are you even listening to me?" The redhead raised an eyebrow at Ian's continuous nodding.

"Hearing? Yes. Listening, hell no. I'm soaked, cold and it's bloody five in the morning Ivanov. I want to sleep and I want to eat. Now" The blunette gave his captain a half lidded glare and Spencer snickered.

"If you hadn't been reading until late last night, you wouldn't be so beaten. Same for you two, so stop glaring at me" Spencer pointed out with a wide smirk.

He was a bit tired, but he _was_ used to getting up early, generally just a few minutes after Tala, and he didn't mind the early morning exercise too much. An opportunity to piss off his teammates and get on their nerves was never a bad thing. Lizeth grounded her teeth while Bryan's left eyebrow twitched.

"What _I_'d like to know" The blond continued with a wide teasing smirk "Is _what_ exactly were you two doing that kept you up so late..."

Bryan uncrossed his arms and narrowed his eyes, while Lizeth bared her fangs in warning. Tala shook his head in despair and Ian perked up a little at the prospect of a massacre.

"The possibilities... two highly hormonal teens, alone in a small room, having to spend so much time together, I mean it's pretty obvious what they will end up doing, right?" He gave them a very matter of fact stand, taking his chin in between index and thumb.

"Obvious alright, its called _Spencer's bloody painful dismiss_, and it's zooming towards you" Tala pointed out flatly.

"_Sherak, Firewall!_"

"_Falborg, Strovlitz!_"

* * *

"You know, that line there's all blurred... and you could really soften the line of her hairline, it's not that straight... and there's always the fact that the left eye is slightly higher than the right one..." Lizeth went on in a flat voice, leaning to look properly at Bryan's drawing sketchbook. The pale haired teen grounded his teeth.

"Is this some kind of sick revenge for the _cat in heat_ comment earlier?" He put the pencil down, and turned to fix her with a narrowed glare. She shrugged.

"Yeah, could be... but you _are_ drawing at lower standards than usual" She perched on the seat next to his "What's up?" She tilted her head to the side slightly, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Are you so utterly bored that you've come to entertain yourself at my misery?" Bryan put the drawing he was doing away and leaned his head on his hand, looking at her with a half smirk.

"Actually, entertainment is about to start, since Pavlova's arriving in a few... and well, you know her relationship with Tala and water" At that both snickered, but she shook her head "In truth I was wondering if you could go with me to the beystore after classes, I need to buy a new attack ring for Sherak"

"You broke it again?" Bryan rose an eyebrow and smirked somewhat cockily "Careless Wrench"

"Hey, I was aiming at the blonde's head, not at the rock behind it" She shrugged and then grinned lopsidedly, showing off a fang "But the expression on his face was worth it..."

"Poetic really. You can never get tired of seeing him get his due" Bryan's eyes were half lidded with a sick content.

"We have an agreement there, if I ever saw one" She grinned evilly as the door opened and both leaned forward unconsciously as Itza entered the room.

Every eye in the room fixed on her.

"What?" She blinked slightly, her brow furrowing a bit.

"Huh?" Tala looked up, saw her and made a suffering noise. Itza glared. He glared right back at her.

There was silence in the room as everyone watched the confrontation. No one noticed the thin wood beams that supported the stand above Tala's head cracking slowly...

...Not until they broke and the fire bucket fell over him, soaking him completely. He blinked... then glared darkly at the blonde.

"I don't know how you do it, but you do it on purpose, I just _know it!_" He snarled and she snarled right back.

"Yeah? It's easy to blame your own clumsiness on others, isn't it?" She sneered, making Tala Seth "Then again, if I had such a bad luck, I'd try to blame it on someone else..."

"You... you... _hag!_"

The bickering match that followed should have gone to history books as one of the longest and most insulting. Unfortunately, everyone in the room knew it would be outdone by the next one, so they simply prepared to face a long day of school, and hopefully catch sight of another fight.

* * *

"_...so, you multiply 'a' per the result of equation '3' and then substitute what you get in 'y' of equation '2', which should throw out what 'x' is worth, and now you can start the graphic, putting the values in the proper order following the chart that..._" Their ever cheerful math teacher rambled on as she cast numbers and equations in the board, apparently oblivious of the fact half her class was ignoring her.

"Um...Ian?" Lizeth asked, not quite managing to keep the snicker from her voice.

"Huh? What?" The dazed teen looked up at her somewhat dreamily. She bit her lip to cover the snort that was dying to escape her throat.

"Ahem" She inclined her face, motioning for the notebook. Ian looked at it... and flushed scarlet.

_3a + Mel's cute 9y Mel's got pretty eyes 56 - 3 Mel looks great in denim (a + 3y) Mel's got a perky mouth 56..._ And it went on half the page.

"I believe this explains your resent failure in Math" The black haired teen pointed out dryly, giving him a knowing look.

"You're one to talk, you have a drawing of Bryan in the margins" The blue haired imp retorted with a slight glare, and Lizeth rose an eyebrow.

"True, but that's 'cause I have drawings of the _whole class_ in there. Your excuse?" She looked awfully smug as she asked.

". . . shut up"

Ian glared and sulked for the rest of the class.

* * *

"You know all that sugar can't be healthy" Spencer mused somewhat distractedly, but immediately shut up as Bryan and Lizeth fixed him with a dark glare.

Tala kept the various highly sugary threats in one of the pockets of his pants, which, to Lizeth's itching amusement, were almost falling down his hips. Ian, who had been staring at Mel in an almost sick display of adoration, blinked.

"Huh? ...Yeah"

The black haired teen bit her lip to keep from laughing, and shared a look of amusement with Bryan. Spencer sulked at being ignored.

"So, wanna drop at my place for lunch? Mom's making those pasta things again" Mel, completely oblivious to Ian's half dead sheep look on her, asked, looking at Bryan, Lizeth and Spencer somewhat hopefully.

"Um, actually, Mr. Sunshine here and I, we were planning on an impromptu visit to the Beyblade store..." Lizeth said in a somewhat apologetic voice, though it was ruined when she had to dodge Bryan's elbow.

"You're going to the store? Mind if I tag along?" Ian, who apparently woke up from his trance when Beyblade was mentioned, looked at his teammates hopefully. At the risen eyebrows, he elaborated "Tala's right, I need a new weight ring for Wyborg, or I'll keep slipping while doing the Sand bind attack"

"I thought you were too asleep to... meep!" Spencer sunk back on his seat at the double death glare he received and sulked in silence. Bryan narrowed his eyes, while Lizeth bared her fangs.

"You're reconstructing your blades?" Mel asked curiously, at the various nods, she frowned "Why? They look good enough to me"

"Actually..." Lizeth looked almost sheepish "I believe Sherak's falling apart"

Taking out the black and red Beyblade from her jeans pocket, she showed Mel the crumbling edges of her defense ring and the completely smashed attack ring.

"Good graces Lizeth; you hit a wall of ice, or something?" Mel's eyes widened at the heavily damaged blade.

"Was a rock actually..." Bryan snorted, although Falborg's defense ring had shattered too "But we were aiming at the blonde's head" He amended quickly, before Lizeth could.

"Yeah... lucky bastard managed to get out of the way at the last second" For Mel, the expression on Sherak's owner's face was the closest thing to a sulk she had seen in her. She snorted.

"Dare I ask what terrible sin he has committed?"

"**_No!_**"

"I just... meep!"

"Ye gods..."

Ian just let out a sickening loving sigh.

* * *

"Ouch... remind me not to piss of your psycho teammates... stay still!" Itza commented amusedly as she rubbed a sore spot of her fellow in arms, aka Spencer, head somewhat compassionately.

She was sitting; legs crossed primly, on one of the benches at the back of the school building, while he was lying on the bench, his head nestled on her lap. Her lips twisted into an evil grin as she locked eyes with him.

"Of course this means war" She pointed out innocently "And a good one given that you ended up as a quivering idiot"

"Am not!" The green eyed teen scowled darkly, glaring at her.

"Never said you _were_, just that you _looked_ and _acted_ like one. If the suit suits you..." She grinned adorably "On other news, I hope you are aware the ball's in two weeks..."

"Could you take pity on my current misery and not mention that atrocity right now?" He screwed up his face and covered it with a hand.

"Um... no?" Itza laughed good naturedly, despite the situation, and kept on running a hand over his hair.

"Bitch" Spencer grunted, he was in a sulky mood and she was taking advantage of it... damn her.

"But you love all the same... Heh, dare you to come up with a come back for that..."

"Ha! What about... hey, isn't that your sister?" The green eyed teen asked suddenly and Itza frowned.

"What does... _shit_"

And she was up and rushing towards the crying child. Spencer, who had managed to keep himself from falling face first into the snow-covered floor, was up and after her too, after a few seconds. The small redhead was crying her heart out and clung to Itza's hold as soon as she approached her. Her violently colored hair, which was usually held back in two pigtails, was a mess resembling a bird's nest. Her bright purple eyes were swollen and red from all her crying and her cloths were completely messed up. Spencer had the sinking feeling someone was about to fall into the fiery pits of hell for that. Then he noticed the final straw. Mr. Pepper breath, Rinny's stuffed dragon and like, her most valuable possession was soaked and muddied.

"...and they changed the labels on my colors and laughed at me, 'cause I couldn't color properly, and I told him that he was being mean and he said that a rodent sized brat like me deserved it and then threw Mr. Pepper breath out of the window and then all the class laughed 'cause I'm the smaller and it's not _fair_!"

Between the hiccup attack and her slight wailing, Spencer could see she had gotten in a fight, which wasn't all that smart choice given that she _was_ smaller than the average third grader. While he gathered his conclusions, Itza tried to calm down the angst child with sweet words and encouragement.

"You know, pretty girls like you shouldn't cry so much... else you might end up as cranky as your sis"

Rinny looked up at the newcomer, who was offering her a chocolate bunny and flushed slightly. Itza stared as Tala easily raised her sister to his arms, smiling softly, and somehow calming the crying child into a lulled mood. Surprisingly enough, Rinny, against what both Spencer and Itza thought, snuggled down on the redhead's hold, sulking slightly, but silently sucking on her new chocolate treat. Shaken out of their mutual trance by Tala's smug looking face, Itza blushed slightly and reached out to carry her sister. The taller redhead easily complied, carefully placing the now calm girl into her sibling's grip. Itza was about to comment, when Sarah appeared at the corner, panting.

"Tala! There you are! C'mon, Ma's gonna throw a fit if we're late again" She rested a hand on her hip, looking quite annoyed, as the redhead snickered.

"Going!" Turning to the blonds, he tipped an imaginary hat and saluted mockingly, making Rinny giggle softly "Spence, Pavlova"

And he walked away, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Catching up with the silver-eyed teen, he took her school bag and dropped it on his shoulder, chatting idly as they both walked towards the main street.

* * *

"What do you think, three blades or four?" Lizeth held out two different attack rings for Bryan to see, and the pale haired teen frowned.

"Neither, that's why you keep crushing them, you pick up the thinnest ones" Bryan scoffed at her as if she was a stubborn child, which she was, most of the time, and reached out for a bulkier attack ring.

"But that thing weights a lot! It will throw my speed attacks to waste!" Lizeth decided that she didn't like the look on Bryan's face. Not at all.

"Yeah, but that's why you're taking a lighter weight ring to compensate. It'd also be good to check out the defense ones, given that you tend to take everything head on..."

She gave him a suffering look, as she was pulled deeper into the shop's isles. Bryan even had the nerve to look smug.

* * *

An hour and a half later, after a trip to Mel's house, a rather satisfying meal and some idle chat, Sherak FW was ready to crush something. Lizeth peered at her new blade somewhat distrustfully. They were in the local beystadium, after a rather long convincing session to try out her new blade, the black haired teen had given in.

"Are you sure this' a wise idea? I dunno, she feels... stranger" She poked her blade again, and the bit glowed in recoil.

"It's call power Wench, don't be such a _scared cat_" Bryan's eyes flashed insolently, while Lizeth's narrowed.

Mel and Ian watched them curiously, as Lizeth took out her launcher and attached her brand new blade to it, Bryan mimicking her at the other side of the dish. Ian took the spot of the referee.

"Ready? Three..." He started the countdown, as his teammates raised their blades to attack.

"Two" Bryan's smirk was infuriating.

"One" Lizeth had the sinking feeling she wasn't entirely prepared for what was about to happen.

"_Let it rip!_"

Bryan's blade moved out of the way and the wall of the dish cracked as Sherak made contact. Lizeth stared. Bryan smirked that goddamned _I told ya_ smirk. Her eyes narrowed as she realized the battle had just started.

"Get him!"

"Dodge and counter!"

They managed to draw a crowd quite easily, given the fierce battle they were having, and the surprising point they weren't using their bit beasts or special attacks... yet. Lizeth felt strangely free as she mentally willed Sherak to slam against Falborg yet again, and contented herself with a small smile. Bryan was almost _grinning_. Ian raised an eyebrow, he wondered what those two were up to, but he was quite sure that if they had had Lizeth's power in the past championships, they would have won for sure... then again, they would still be listening to Boris' world domination shit... He was startled from his thoughts when his teammates called out their beasts.

"_Sherak, Firewall!_"

"_Falborg, Strovlitz!_"

The crowd cheered wildly as both blades reappeared from the cloud of smoke, still spinning and looking ready for another round. Bryan and Lizeth, however, shook their heads and called them back, much to the disappointment of some of the present.

* * *

"Hey! I hear my favorite neurotic female's gotten a new blade!" Tala called as greeting as he got into the cabin.

Lizeth, who was reading _Novel in Nine Letters_, gave him the finger. The redhead snickered.

"So, really, wanna check it out?" He gave her a risen eyebrow and a challenging pose. Lizeth sighed.

"'s not as if I had a choice..." She grumbled something unintelligible and got up, putting her book on the small table of the living room and stalking towards her room, there was a loud thud, before she emerged moments later, followed by a half asleep Bryan. Tala rose an eyebrow "Hey, if _I_ have to show you my new blade, he'll have to show you his"

"Whatever you want, Wench, whatever you want"

Bryan grunted, still more asleep than awake. Lizeth almost, _almost_ grinned.

* * *

"Well, your eternal highest, oh so great team Capitan, what is your final review?"

They were walking towards the cabin, sweaty and tired, but rather seated after a round of harsh battles. Tala rolled his eyes at Lizeth's sarcasm.

"Ha ha. Very funny Smildrilova" He tried to glare at her, but end up scowling only "And yeah, they're fine. Sherak FW is a nice improvement to your old blade, god knows you needed to upgrade it... and Falborg S2... well, think you still need to work on your defense stand Bryan, but otherwise it's cool too"

"The mighty one has spoken..." The flat tone in which Lizeth spoke was getting on Tala's nerves, but it was making Bryan snicker.

"Give it a rest Lizeth" The redhead sighed, stretching himself as they neared the cabin.

Lizeth grinned. When Tala did that, his pants fell even lower on his hips. And it was itching her to pull them down. Bryan must have noticed the sudden devious air around her, because he slowed his pace a bit.

"Yeah, yeah... so how's work?" Amazingly, Bryan noted, she kept her voice natural and casual, yet her eyes were glinting evilly.

"Same old thing. Bring this, send that, serve table two, clean that mess, yadda yadda. Just... the same" The redhead shrugged. His pants slid half a millimeter down "And you, hopefully you had a higher time than me"

"Oh, it's curious that you mention _heights_ in this situation" She smirked, a fang poking from her lip. Tala rose an eyebrow.

"Why?"

They were about twenty yards from the cabin. Lizeth's evil grin finally broke free.

"'Cause you seem rather _down_ to me!" And she gave his pants the so needed pull downwards.

"Eep!" Tala yelped as he tried to catch them, while Lizeth made a run for the cabin.

"**_WENCH!_**"

Bryan's fit of almost hysterical laughter could be heard all the way to Krystal's office.

"Ah" The lavender haired teen mused with a sigh when he had calmed down enough to talk "The wonders of living with a female..."

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_I just had to add that! Sorry, couldn't resist. I have a classmate who has that same bad habit, and which I **will** one day pull his pants down, preferably in the middle of a lecture. Meanwhile, I can content myself with my new found hobby, Tala Torturing!_

_Mr. Pepper breath is **real**, he was my favorite stuffed animal, until my evil aunt gave him away... **without asking me first!** Goddamned bitch from hell ... :realizes she's still on air: Er... ignore me please..._

_Sherak FW: Fire Wall, Relating to her new attack._

_Falborg S2: Strovlitz 2, same as before._

_Novel in Nine Letters: A creation of the great Russian writer, the master of psychology development and my goddamned favorite author (even more so than E. A. Poe :ignores astonished gasps:) Fyodor Mihailovich Dostoyevsky. Run and find his work, you mere mortals!_

_Don't forget to review; I'm already working in next chapter! Yey, I'm in an updating spree!_


	9. Chapter Nine

_(A/N) Plot development! Yahoo! This chapter's shorter, but it's a lot of tension to work with, though I'm finally getting the plot moving again. I enjoyed the humor brake with last chapter, but I guess it's time to move the storyline. As it is, and to clear up the story line, last chapter happened about two or three days after Tala's incident, and this one is about a week later, about three or four days before the Autumn Ball._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, but I own plot and OC._

* * *

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Nine, Blizzard Strike, Breaking The Ice._**

"_Yes!_"

The man's delighted cry sounded in the old warehouse. The various people in it watched in stunned silence the cause of his delight.

The once white haired teen was standing near the balding dish, but her hair had degraded into a dull grey shade, and her eyes, which used to be a clear blue, were glowing red. A strange black aura surrounded her as she watched through empty crimson eyes the wall across from her. In the center of the dish a discarded black blade sat unmoving.

The man turned his eyes to glare at the crew of guards and scientists in the room.

"What are you waiting for? Get her into the stasis tank! The longer we take the more chances she'll have to fight back!"

Snapped out of their daze, about half a dozen men launched against the unresponsive girl, easily placing her into the tank in the back of the room. It took little effort to set her into the restricting space, not connecting any wires on her, but simply placing her to sleep.

The man's eyes narrowed at her as he urged his _troops_ to continue working.

_Yes... and now, all I need to take full control is to get a hold of those traitorous bastards._ A hand came up to caress a long scar on the side of his face._ How dare they scape unscarred, when I was left to die in that rotten cell? They will pay..._

_They will regret having ever crossed me._

* * *

Almost everyone in the classroom had been thrown to the floor by the sudden earthquake. Tala, who had managed to stay on his feet despite the sudden pain surging through him, snarled as he held the stand in place. After almost a minute of infernal shaking, everything stilled properly. Mel was cowering under Ian, trembling with fear. Lizeth, whose reflexes were on fire by the absolute unreality of the situation, snarled out loud. Their Literature teacher rose from behind her desk pale as a sheet. Her usually tame and neatly arranged chestnut hair fell on her shoulders in disarray and her green eyes were wide and scared.

"Everyone, get the hell down to the main patio. _Now!_" The sudden appearance of Tatiana at the door and her particular choice of wording startled and worried them, but they obeyed quickly and without questions.

They were too stunned to do anything else.

As they walked towards the patio, Sarah caught up with them, looking pretty much like a deer against the flashlights. Tala eased an arm around her, smiling somewhat soothingly. He was relieved to find that his meditation and excessive blading since his last _incident_ had served well to keep his _gifts_ from arising at inappropriate moments. Tatiana spoke in short, controlled sentences. The message was pretty clear.

_Blizzard coming._ _Find somewhere to stay in town, wait until things get sorted to attempt getting home. I will contact your parents or tutors to assure them you are safe. Scram._

* * *

Dunga stared, his blade lying unmoving at his feet. The rest of the Saint Shields as well as the Bladebrakers stared at Kai in a stunned silence. He was _glowing_ white, and so was Dranzer.

"Crap" Was all the blunette could say as he felt the growing anxiousness of the white bit beast in his temporal care.

The pendant that hung from his neck started shinning brightly, the bit attached to it reacting violently to the sudden upsetting of the balance. Kai raised his hand and called his overcharged blade. Looking at his astonished teammates and their rivals, he snarled, before turning to leave, actually running away.

_Just what the hell's going on that you didn't tell me Tala?_

* * *

"C'mon, we ain't got all bloody day!" Ma called over the horde of various aged teens and kids that suddenly were flooding the restaurant "Get inside before you get frosted!"

"You know" Tala commented amused "For someone who's always poking at my bad language, you've got quite your own share Ma" At the death glare he got, he scurried back into the kitchen with Sarah.

All it had taken for the matron to offer her restaurant as guest house for those who had nowhere to go was a phone call from Tatiana. Mostly the younger kids from the center. Karen was there too, apparently the annoying blunette lived a few miles out of town and Tatiana had practically ordered him to stay back. Mel had stayed, and Itza and her sister too, both of them lived at the other side of town, and they wouldn't make it home before the blizzard struck. All in all, the crowd was rather big inside the small restaurant, and they felt slightly caged. Tala and Sarah were working on making hot chocolate for everyone, given that temperature had started to drop dramatically and the sky was darkening quickly.

"_I hate you all!_"

Sarah made a spectacular save of a tray she was carrying at the sudden screech that filled the room, all eyes turning to Itza's sister and what looked like the younger Ruvloff. Karen, who had been sulking in a corner about being left in the same building with _the mutt_ as he had come to call Tala, stood up rather quickly to see what the whole commotion was about. Itza, who had been pissing Spencer off tried to reach towards her sister's voice, but she tripped with Spencer's feet rather clumsily. When everyone reacted, Rinny was no where in sight. Instead, Karen had his younger brother hold by the scuff of his neck, hissing lowly at the mess he'd caused.

"But she's just a whinny, puny girl! What's the big deal?" The kid surely took after his older brothers, given the way he was glaring at Karen.

"Exactly my point Ivan" The taller blunette glared "Congratulations, you just sent a lone, scared _puny, whinny girl_ out into a goddamned blizzard. I hope you feel fucking elated brat" He dropped his brother, and stalked towards the door.

"Where're you going?" Itza, who had managed to catch the last part, glared at him for good measure.

"To look for your brat of a sister, what else? We're close to the woods and if she's anything like you, I'd bet my shirt she'll run right into them" He seemed sulky enough about the matter, but the declaration that he was actually going to _righten_ a wrong startled a few people in the crowd.

"You don't have to, you know? I can do it myself"

"Yeah?" He snorted "With a skirt and high heels? Be realistic, I'll be right back"

"But-"

But he was gone already, muttering under his breath, hands stuck in his pockets, and generally looking sour. Itza sighed and went to hide back into Spencer's jacket.

* * *

"_What the hell do you mean they're not there?_"

Krystal had the phone arm length from her ear and still felt her eardrums snap. She glared at the phone.

"Exactly that! There was an earthquake and it caused a blizzard, which is speeding down towards us in a very frightening way. They are all locked up in the restaurant until the worst is off and we manage to get them back home" Beat "And don't yell at me!"

"_Whoa. Rewind. Earthquake? In Siberia? Who the hell do you take me for?_"

"That's exactly what the government agent told me... before he came and saw the whole, post-earthquake mess in Logobo Volka, and who the hell are you anyway?"

"_Oh, alright... Um, listen, I'm sorta sorry about the whole getting angry with you... I think we haven't even been properly introduced, so yeah... Hiwatari Kai, at your service_"

"Sorta sorry? Ye gods... Ex Cornel Krystal Ivanovna Petrov, kid. And what are you? Tala's long lost mother, or something?"

"_Actually, I'm Ian's cousin... and the closest thing to a conscience Tala has. Basically, my work is yelling at him at pretty much anything he does. Which is usually either stupid or absolutely irresponsible. Or both_"

"Are you aware that that kind of job generally lands people in hospitals?"

"_Madame, I grew up with them, and I'm the Capitan and babysitter of the Beyblading World Champions, you know, Tyson Granger, the prat that almost got himself frosted in a battle with Tala and Rei Kon, the boy who was a hair away from death after a fight with Bryan, and Max Mizuhara, the kid on the sugar high twenty-four-seven. I know my way through the emergency ward pretty well_"

"Ha, very well then... Go take a rest Mr. Hiwatari, I'll tell Tala to phone you as soon as they come back"

"_...thanks, and call me Kai_"

"Oh, don't worry boy, just repay me by yelling Ivanov dear through the ceiling will you?"

"_My pleasure Ma'am_"

* * *

The door to the restaurant opened and almost everyone turned to look at it hopefully. Tala entered and shook himself pretty much like a dog, trying to get the heavy snowflakes out of his hair and his clothes.

"Ok, the heater's covered... so, we should stay relatively warm until tomorrow morning, which is when things will get tense if the blizzard hasn't toned down" Whether he was talking to them or to himself wasn't particularly clear.

It had taken him a good part of three hours to fix things around the ancestral heater, which was independent to that of the town's central heater system, and which was easily a hundred years old or so, to keep it running for the night. He was thankful for that inspiration strike that had made him wear his blading attire, the cozy long sleeved purple sweater and his white vest, along with his baggy white jeans. His eyes scanned the room, and they narrowed when he noticed Itza's expression and Karen missing.

"Where the hell's Ruvloff?"

There edge in his voice made the kids around him, all of them were at least four years below them, swallow hard and avert their eyes from him. Ivan, Karen's younger brother tried to make the wall he was sitting against eat him whole. Spencer sighed.

"His pest of a brother pissed off Rinny, she ran away, right into the blizzard and he, surprisingly, volunteered himself to get her back... three hours ago"

The death glare he as well as the rest of the room made them all flinch inwardly. Tala's voice dropped into a steady, low and frosty tone.

"You knew _I_ was around the corner, you _know_ I can handle ice and snow like it's nothing, _and you let him go after a child into the fucking woods without even the basics?_"

Silence was his only answer. No one but his team had ever seen the redhead worked up, his facade of serenity and superiority shattered by the cold fury, and surprisingly worry, that was edging in his voice. Lizeth was sure she hadn't seen someone look so formidable before.

"_Sarah!_" At the sharp call of her name, the gentle brunette scrambled to the redhead's side "Get me a thermo with some hot chocolate with a pinch of vodka and a thick blanket" Seeing her falter slightly, he glared darkly at her "Now woman, the longer we take, the most of a chance of them getting frosted!"

Five minutes later, and walking against a memorable, and still growing blizzard, they watched him disappear through an alley, walking decidedly towards the forest. Lizeth, for some reason, felt something strange was going to happen.

* * *

_Of all the stupid, senseless..._

Tala's not so flattering mental rambling on the different levels of stupid-ness in his team was cut short by a whimper. His training, his enhanced senses and his instincts made him turn around swiftly, eyes landing on a fallen tree, which had probably been a casualty of the raging winds of the brewing blizzard. The wind howled around him, and for a second he thought that he had imagined it when the glow of a pair of scared, noble eyes caught his attention.

A grey wolf was trapped under the tree's trunk. Unable to move or find a proper shelter, Tala knew that despite its thick fur coat it would freeze to death if it wasn't freed soon. The animal locked eyes with him and whimpered again. The redhead doubted for only a second, before he reached out towards the beast. The jewel that hung from his neck felt warmer as he touched the wolf's head trying to sooth the distressed animal.

It still hurted, whatever Boris had done to block his talents, it recoiled when he called upon them. Even if they were so lulled, he felt the animal relax under his touch. Standing up, he reached out for his launcher and aimed precisely towards the trunk trapping the beast. In an instance the trunk was reduced to splinters and the animal stood up, shaking the thin layer of snow from his fur. It sat back, looking at Tala right in the eye, and tilted its head slightly. The redhead took a minute to be awed at the majesty of the beast; the wolves inland were slightly larger than those that lived in the coasts he had grown up in. The beast let out a long, powerful howl and in minutes, the redhead found himself surrounded by the whole pack. The beasts sniffed the air around him, and he concentrated on being as still as possible.

_Trustworthy. Worried. Noble. Human wolf._

The various places where the wires of Boris' experiments had once been placed in his body felt on fire as he stubbornly choose to let his gifts take over.

_Searching. Cub. Pack member. Help._

The alpha of the pack, a beautiful and majestic black wolf barked anxiously then, and without warning ran into the deeps of the forest. Tala, for once, didn't stop to ponder the situation, and ran blindly after the beast, the rest of the pack following them deafly.

He felt strangely like the once ever cheerful kid he had been once, running through the forest with his pack.

Just what I need, an unwanted trip to memory lane... God damn it Ruvloff, you're getting a piece of my mind when I find you...

* * *

Karen swore under his breath, his arms wrapped around the girl tightly. His lungs felt heavy with the cold air and in the thick carpet of snow, a few feet were an impossible distance to cover. The only reason he kept going was the shivering, whimpering child in his arms. _It wasn't so long ago when Sarah looked like that, was it?_ The cold was getting to him, and memories and reality started to overlap each other as he looked in vain for a way back into town, or at least somewhere to take shelter until the worse was out.

"I don't want to die..." The soft pleading voice struck far too home for comfort in the blue haired teen. He hugged Rinny closer to his chest.

"We're not going to die brat. You'll see we'll be home soon" Even to himself his words sounded false, but he tried to reassure the child the best he could.

Suddenly, in a light let on of the blizzard, he managed to see a brown spot in short distance. A cave. Calling on strength he hadn't know he possessed, and forcing his body beyond his limits, Karen tried to get into it.

He registered the low growl a moment too late, and when he finally saw _it_, he was too stunned to move. Rinny took a sharp breath.

* * *

"No!"

The redhead, again, didn't think and rather reacted. The bear, which was standing in its hindquarters, towering over Karen and Rinny, was thrown sideways by the compressed ball of ice and snow. The beast growled painfully as it was slammed against a tree. Karen rose shakily to look at Tala, hands risen in warning, another shot prepared. The bear rose and growled loudly at them, but the pack, which was standing behind the redhead, bared their fangs threateningly at the taller, larger beast.

After a few tense instants, the bear gave in and stood back, walking away from the small clearing. Tala sighed, his shoulders dropping dramatically. He had been sure he would have passed out if he had been force to do it again. Looking up, he found Karen's eyes fixed on him in awe and shock. Looking a bit down, he saw Rinny's messy state and reminded himself he had a purpose there. He felt more than saw the wolves surrounding the clearing, making sure the bear was really gone, but his attention was centered in his charges. Walking up to Karen, he saw his shirt was soaked and that he was shivering inwardly.

"C'mon Ruvloff, stop staring, we gotta get you out of here... take your shirts off" He glared at Karen's blank stare "Now Karen, we ain't got all day!"

Blinking, and frankly overwhelmed by the surrealistic situation. He doubted for a second, then carefully set Rinny down on the snow, still covering her with his body from the direct hit of the frosty winds. He stared as Tala unzipped his vest and quickly took off his sweater, offering it to him.

"_Move it_, Karen, the kid won't last long in this weather!" Karen took the warm cloth numbly, while Tala wrapped Rinny in the blanket that hung from his belt, protecting her from the icy winds.

"But you'll freeze without it!" The blunette snapped, looking at Tala wide eyed.

"No, I won't. Just put the damn thing on, Ruvloff, shit still hasn't hit the fan yet, but if you keep rambling it will" He fixed him with his best death glare as he forced Rinny to sip some of the hot chocolate in the thermo he carried. The girl shivered in spite of the alcohol and the warm cloth.

"_Why?_" Karen couldn't take the awe out of his words as he stood there, the sweater in hand, looking at Tala with an expression far too confused to be grateful.

"First, and most importantly, get that on so we can get out of here..." The redhead pinned Karen down with a heavy stare, the winds blowing against them fiercely "Second, despite what you have done, every action and word trying to prove otherwise, despite the fact that I hate you, your manners, or lack of them, your rudeness, your anger at the world at general, despite what my common sense is screaming at me and more... you're human Karen. And I am too. I don't know what the world did to you to deserve such hatred from you, and god knows I've wanted to kill you more than a few times, but the truth is that I know that there are people who would gladly throw me into the pits of hell knowing me less than I know you... and it's not fair and it hurts. Plus there _has_ to be something worthy in you to make Sarah defend you so fiercely. I don't know, perhaps I'll never know... but I've done enough things to regret in my life to add your painful dismiss into that list. Now c'mon, Sarah and Pavlova must be worried"

The blunette got the cloth on numbly, confused and touched and grateful at the redhead's rant, watching how he placed Rinny against his bare chest so tenderly, and how he closed the vest, the girl was so small... nested against him. Tala's eyes fixed on Karen's sharply and the blunette nodded, giving a step forwards. But he was exhausted, and he felt his knees giving in. A strong arm wrapped around him, and he was surprised to see Tala's cocky smirk as the redhead help him on.

"Thanks" He managed to breathed out, casting his eyes away from the heavy stare of the redhead.

"Don't mention it..." The redhead snickered... the shuddered "No, really, don't mention it. Spencer won't ever let me live it down"

"Somehow" Karen managed with a weak smirk and a soft snort "I'm not surprised"

* * *

The redhead reached the outskirts of the forest after a long fight with the howling winds, and nodded at the alpha male of the wolf pack, that much to his initial amusement, had gone unnoticed by Karen. They walked through a shabby alley, the same one in which Tala had met Sarah and Sasha, the winds still feeling like sharp knives against the redhead's unprotected arms, when he managed to see the lights of the restaurant. He was dragging most of Karen's weight by then, being too stubborn to let his exhaustion show. Karen was leaning heavily against him in a veil attempt to walk properly. The managed to stumble into the restaurant without falling face first against the floor.

"_Tala!_"

"_Karen!_"

"_Rinny!_"

"_Oh my God!_"

The redhead's eyes closed as Sarah ran to Karen, never minding who was watching, and he felt his team surround him. He carefully unwrapped Rinny from her place against him and handed her to her worried sister. His last coherent thought before letting himself fall on the soothing oblivion of sleep was that who ever was holding him smelled nice.

_Like a field of lavender after a storm..._

* * *

"_What the hell do you mean he's not there!_"

Kat held the phone arm length and still felt her eardrums being tortured by the redhead's pissed off voice. She sighed.

"Exactly that, Red. Apparently this Psy-whatever team kidnapped Kai's old roommate, Wyatt, and threatened to do the nasty if they didn't surrender their blades. But then, you know Kai, and Tyson" Tala could practically _hear_ her eyes roll "And they went to the so called island to rescue him and to stop them for once and for all"

"_And you let them go? Just like that? What kind of irresponsible mother are you!_"

"The kind that's confident on her son's skill to either fool evil doer's plots, and to arrive home in time for dinner"

"_You are the single scariest woman on earth, are you aware of that?_"

"Yeah. I married a Hiwatari, remember?"

"_Touché... and thanks anyway_"

"Oh, don't worry, thank me by yelling Kai through the ceiling next time you talk to him, will you?"

"_My pleasure Ma'am_"

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_Yes, the irony between the phone conversations was very well intended. I just found_ _it too amusing to let it slip. Heh._

_Can you believe I made Ian and Kai cousins? Heh, well, it fits somehow, you know, blue hair, red eyes... I had been hinting at their relationship for a while, but I guess no one really noticed the hints. Tell me what you think about it, ok?_

_For all those interested in the little details, Siberia is a plateau. There are no fissures in the land or the tectonic plaques that could result in an earthquake. Anywhere. It would never, ever, under any circumstances happen. Ergo, a bloody earthquake as harsh as the one in the start is an impossibility in real life, like... like Bush ever admitting he was wrong or Mexican politicians ever telling the truth. Yeah._

_And_ _yeah, an earthquake could upset the climatic disposition so harshly as to cause a blizzard – bloody powerful one, if you're interested._

_In Russia, during the communist regime, the central heating system was implemented. There's heating in **all** the cities and in all buildings, but it's regulated externally by the government company that will turn the heat up or down depending on the season. Since the restaurant is **ancient**, it still has a heater from **before** the regime, which is the one Tala put to work, apart from that of the city._

_Comments on the Karen/Tala interaction in this chapter are welcome and more than needed. It was bloody difficult to get those to interacting without things getting violent... or god forbid, mushy. :shudders at the idea of Tala and Karen in a yaoi: Tala, if ever portrayed gay, belongs to either his teammates or any other cannon blader. That's a branch of OC relation you won't see **me** exploring any time soon._

_:various muses in background snort in disbelive:_

_It's true! I've never done a yaoi Cannon/OC relationship fic before... Mmm, wait, **never**?_

_:Eyes widened with implications and possibilities, Muses groan in background:_

_Er... but, rants aside, please review!_


	10. Chapter Ten

_(A/N) Ah, here it is the thing that has been bugging people for a long while, the Autumn Ball. There will be music, there will be romance, there will be fights, there will be teasing, there will be revelations, and most importantly, there will be kisses, the long awaited kisses._

_:genki grin:_

_Anyway, the whole thing is like, 37 pages long, so I'm braking it into three parts. "The Day Prior", "The Long Awaited Night", and "The Morning After"._

_This chapter, tension! And finally some Bryan/Lizeth action. Enjoy._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, but I own plot and OC._

**_

* * *

_**

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Ten, The Autumn Ball, The Day Prior._**

"_-what do you have for brain? Yogurt? God damn it Kai, of all the stupid senseless things to do! Don't you know a trap when you see one?_"

"Are you quite done now?"

"_Hell no! I'm just warming up!_"

A sigh.

"_I mean, **really** Kai..._"

"Tala..."

"_A fucking good plan that was..._"

"Tala!"

"_You've been spending too much time with Granger, I swear-_"

"**Tala**"

"_What?_"

"Three things mostly. One, its 3 o'clock in the morning here. Two, I have school tomorrow morning, and unless you've got a good excuse, so do you. And three, stop acting like a bloody worried mother, which, in case you have forgotten, is _my_ job"

"_Fine. Be a prat, is not as if it's that big effort for you_"

"Let me get some sleep, you can yell at me at some later time... _besides_, I thought you mentioned that the ball was this Friday... don't you have like, a ton of work to do?"

"_...I hate you when you're right_"

"So you hate me most of the time?"

"_Shut up_"

"Heh. Tala, you aware I can _hear_ you sulk, right?"

"_Leave me alone you backstabbing annoying blue haired squeaking midget!_"

"Love you too... and I don't squeak!"

"_Arg!_"

* * *

"Lizeth!"

"Urg"

Bryan had about point two seconds to react and catch the fainting female. Even unconscious, her limbs shuddered and trembled with the force of the seizure. She moaned in her nightmare.

Bryan cursed. Just _why_ did she have to get a seizure when they were _alone_? Maneuvering her rather gently, he settled her on one of the couches of the living room, then went to fetch her pills from her trunk. When he re-entered the room, he found her instinctively curling, shuddering and moaning lowly.

"_Go away..._"

And talking. Bryan froze with her next plea though.

"_Don't touch me! ...bastard... I'm not your fucking toy..._" Her snarl surfaced just as she curled back protectively.

_Just... Fucking Christ, just like Tala when..._ His train of thought was cut short when she let out an unholy screech. Snapping out of it, he reached down and forced her to swallow her medicine, and noticing her fever, he prepared himself for another fight to get her into the shower. Struggling with her, he was thankful when Tala poked his head into the cabin.

"Shower" The lavender haired teen managed through clenched teeth. The goddamned female had kicked him in the groin, the little bugger...

The redhead immediately went to ready the cold shower, and helped Bryan.

"Go, I'll take care of her..." The redhead sighed as he ducked a left hook from the struggling teen "Go to the kitchen and get her something light to eat. I have the feeling this has something to do with her skipping lunch and dinner..."

Bryan disappeared, still grumbling unpleasanties about Lizeth under his breath, and Tala resisted the urge to snicker.

Undressing the Wench, though, was a bit more of an ordeal than the redhead would have believed. He pinned her against the tile wall when he was half done and snarled at her as she bared her fangs at him.

"Will you calm down!" His eyes narrowed down in annoyance.

He wasn't all that good dealing with her, although they had reached somewhat safe land between them. It was usually Bryan who could calm the Wench attacks, generally by whispering something to her... though he'd be damned if he knew what. She was having regressions to... ah, the incident, and he wasn't entirely sure he was ready to deal with that particular piece of information out in the open.

The pills were taking effect already, since her eyes were focusing. He loosened his hold on her as she recovered her composure under the spray of cold water.

Then she noticed she was soaked and half naked. Tala shrugged sheepishly under the unamused death glare.

* * *

"Eat"

Lizeth and Bryan glared at each other slightly as he placed the plate in front of her. Tala was changing cloths in his room, while Lizeth was already dressed and wrapped in a blanket, comfortably nested in the coach. The sat, facing each other in a, surprisingly, tense silence.

For some reason, or rather, for reasons neither were particularly eager to disclose, the usually passive teens were strangely tense around each other. Edgy and somewhat forced, their normal interaction had become strained and somewhat impersonal. Tala had noticed, and had been giving both knowing glances.

Sometimes it sucked knowing what was going on when others were still oblivious to it. Then again, watching them squirm around each other was fun enough.

Tala, resting against the doorframe watched his teammates with a knowing smile. Lizeth was eating the soup in silence, while Bryan watched her intently. Blue eyes took quiet note of the electric air, and the tension and uneasiness... it was delightfully entertaining.

_Heh, seems Kai owes me a few... snap her neck in a month. Ha, more like get in bed in a month... though I don't think this will be a walk in the park... Perhaps I should get out through the window in my room?_

"Are you enjoying the fucking show?"

_Damn._

"To tell the truth? Yeah. You two are amusing when you're not willing to stop hitting around the bush" The redhead resisted the urge to laugh at their expressions. Lizeth, of shock, Bryan, of fury. "Anyway, gotta go kids, _behave_"

* * *

"Tala would you-"

"I'm having a nearly orgasmic experience with my coffee. Bug me and die"

Ian raised an eyebrow at the redhead's comment, looking at him as if he had finally lost it. He had black rings around his eyes, he was sulking and he look like he was about to fall asleep on his feet.

Which he was mind you.

Also, he was cradling a cup of coffee with utmost care, swirling the black liquid almost lovingly.

Deciding it wasn't safe to stay around him, the Shrimp inched towards Spencer and tried to ignore the redhead. Ok, so he had been working about 20 hours daily for the last week or so. He had gone through a fucking blizzard to get his _nemesis_ and a child out, he had managed to set a delivery service in the restaurant and he had gone through second period exams and _not_ fail Biology. He was tired, he was sleepy, he was cranky and he was in caffeine whildrawal. Heads were going to roll of people didn't leave him alone.

"So, are you two sure you aren't coming to the ball?" Ian asked the silent teens, trying to divert attention from their moody leader. Bryan and Lizeth shook their heads.

"Too much people" The black haired teen said with slight shudder.

"Too much _noisy_ people" Bryan clarified with a small sneer of disgust.

Lizeth, sipping a cup of hot chocolate, nodded in agreement, then, catching herself, scowled.

Ian sighed. With Tala and his caffeine whildrawals, Bryan and Lizeth walking on eggshells around each other, and Spencer spending so much time with Itza, for the first time in years, he felt absolutely alone.

And it sucked big time.

* * *

Kai looked at the room with a sincere contented smile. Kat grinned.

"Told you I would find something... You wouldn't believe all the crap Boris had in the Abby's storage rooms" She motioned for the different crates, which were covered by a fine layer of dust.

"Can I?" Kai asked a bit unsure, motioning towards the crate.

"Sure" Kat shrugged, smiling brightly at his son.

Kai reached out to open the old crate, unconsciously looking like an awed kid. His mother resisted the urge to squeak in delight. Tracing the smooth black surface with his fingers, the dual haired teen smiled.

"I believe" He said with a mischievous air in his eyes "That I've found Tala's birthday's gift... and an early Christmas gift for the rest"

Kat chuckled.

"Yep. I bet Tala miss his toys... and Bryan too. I'll do them good" She gave Kai a calculative glance "And, _if_ you manage to rise up your grades this month, perhaps you can make a flash trip as a delivery boy..."

"Ha-ha, watch me roll with laughter Mom"

"Heh, I see you alright"

* * *

"Left, god damn it Tala, can't you tell left from right?" Irina scowled at the redhead, who was perched on a pair of portable steps, balancing precariously as he hung up the decorations for the ball.

A snort echoed in the empty gym.

"Of course the _mutt_ wouldn't know left from right. Dogs ain't that smart" Karen said with a lop sided smirk, giving Tala his infuriating _I'm-better-than-you-so-bow-to-me_ look.

"Go away Ruvloff" Tala said with a glare, looking more like a corpse than anything. Karen chuckled.

"Nope, came here to _properly_ help set up the deco for the ball. Some of us know what sleep and caffeine are mutt" Tala tried to glare properly, but ended up losing his balance, squeaking and falling down the steps, landing on his butt with little grace. Karen laughed "Here, go take a brake. I'm sure Irina _dear_ won't tell anyone you took a" Snort "_Cat_nap"

Tala caught the black thermo deafly and opened it carefully, smelling it cautionously. His eyes turned into pink hearts at the characteristically smell of hot, black coffee. He whined low on his throat in content, delighting in the smell of fresh made coffee.

"What do you know? He's actually a whining pup!" Karen laughed again, but the redhead was too engrossed with his coffee to care.

Irina looked from one male to another and shook her head. At least they weren't at each other's throats all the time. Then again, if her worst enemy saved her life, she would back down too. At least their interaction had soothed from the _prepare-to-die-you-bastard_ into a more _I-hate-you-but-can't-live-without-teasing-you-bastard_ kind of thing.

And there weren't anymore left hooks being thrown around.

"Yeah? Perhaps I ought to get a fucking leash for you!"

Well, _less_ left hooks being thrown around than before.

"One more word Karen. One more word and I will rip out your spleen and spoon feed it to you"

"Oh! I'm trembling! The big, bad wolf's snarling at me! He's gonna howl at the moon and bite me!"

"_Ruvloff!_"

It seemed though, that she would have to hang the damn decorations herself, given that both males were too _busy_ to actually help her.

_Men are such idiots!_

* * *

"-and I want you both back home 2 o'clock, at latest!" Ma ended up her speech with a threatening glare.

Sarah nodded self-consciously, while Tala nodded half asleep. The older woman had _pressing issues_ back at the city where Julia worked and was going to leave Tala and Sarah in charge of the restaurant while she was gone, probably a day or two. But since she was going to be gone the day of the ball, she made sure to make enough warnings to both teens.

In other words, she mentioned situations that they would have never thought about without her mentioning them, like most parents do when they _warn off_ their kids.

With a last dark look, the matron walked into her taxi and both teens waved as it disappeared from view.

"So, wanna close this thing and go up take a nap?" Sarah grinned, motioning for the restaurant with a mischievous glint in her eye, taking in the redhead's stand.

"Hell yeah! Thought you'd never ask!"

* * *

"No. Never. Ah ah, don't think about it. Absolutely not" Lizeth glared at the females, fangs bared in warning "I'm _not_ going to the fucking ball"

"But _Li-iz_" Mel pulled out a pair of spectacular puppy eyes. Lizeth snarled at the nickname.

"Oh c'mon Sugar, you'll _love_ it!" Itza put her two cents by beaming at the dark haired female "I mean, someone with your natural grace has to be a _great_ dancer! It's a crime to let that talent go to waste!"

Rinny, safely perched in Bryan's lap (how had the little squirt managed to worm her way into his heart was still a mystery), tilted her head to the side. Looking up at the pale haired teen, who was watching the scene with a wide smirk poorly hidden by his chocolate mug, she blinked.

"Why won't you take your girlfriend to the ball, Bry?"

The three females turned to look at Bryan coughing up his chocolate, a large stain of the hot liquid marring his grey t-shirt. Rinny looked at him curiously and painfully innocent. He glared at the teens.

"Go make your clown show for someone who cares" He stood up and waved a bit at the scalding cloth, before picking up his sketchbook "C'mon brat, let's go"

He stalked away, pretty much aware of the warm redness of his cheeks and the bridge of his nose as he disappeared from view. It took Rinny only a few seconds before she scrambled to catch up with him, giggling softly. Itza raised a calculative eyebrow.

"Could have been the light, but was Bryan _blushing_?" Her tone was teasing at best, and she looked at her friends curiously. Lizeth shrugged.

"Oh, definitely blushing" Mel said with a sly grin, having caught the undertone Lizeth had ignored "Must be the fact he won't be going to the ball, will have the house _all for himself_..."

"Yeah, what exactly will he be doing is a _mystery_..." Itza used an extremely false spooky voice as she grinned somewhat evilly. Lizeth, still somewhat ignorant of their induendo, snorted.

"Mystery, ha" She rolled her eyes "He'll come back, get a shower, snuggle into the couch and draw until he falls asleep. Thus he'll be an ever crankier bastard tomorrow morning. Mystery indeed"

Mel and Itza crossed looks of amusement, then grinned evilly at the black haired female.

"That's _exactly_ why you have to come _and bring_ Bryan to the ball" Mel squeaked delighted.

Lizeth stared at them incredously.

"Oh don't give us that look. _Everyone_ can see you two hitting off. Kinda more obvious than Mel and Ian, even" Itza rolled her eyes with flourish, but at the mention of _her own_ love life, Mel squeaked self consciously.

"Hey!"

"Oh for god's sake, there's a freaking' _betting pool_ around you two" Itza huffed at Mel, rising an eyebrow in slight irritation.

"Yeah? Well there's one about you and Spencer too, but _I_'m not that backstabbing to bring it up!"

"Guys..."

"And what exactly are you doing now? 'Sides he's like... my best friend – brother? The whole thing's incestuous"

"Urg, thank you ever so much for the bloody mental image"

"Guys"

"It's _your_ sick mind, not mine"

"_My_ sick mind? Who are you calling sick, you Miss-I-can-bend-like-rubber? And what kind of best friend – brother Spencer is, the kind you make out with in the gym?" Mel raised a sardonic eyebrow, looking a lot like Ian while doing so.

A dishearten sigh as Maritza squeaked, blushing brightly.

"It... you... we... _it's not like that!_"

Lizeth sat back on the couch, folding her legs up and resting her face in her hand. Those two were in for a _looong_ discussion.

"_What do you mean by that, you squeaky sexed up midget!_"

* * *

Sarah dropped herself ungracefully in the bed, unconsciously jamming an elbow on the sleeping redhead. He groaned and turned, curling and almost making her fall off the bed.

"Oh move, I know you're awake" She poked his ribs and snuggled down the covers next to him "I wanna watch TV, _Heartbreaking Storms_ is starting a new season today..."

Tala stretched like a cat, yawning widely and making enough space for Sarah to rest next to him. He blinked slightly as the old TV was turned on and settled on a Soap Opera kind of show. He twisted his lips in distaste.

"Urg, and to think I used to believe you were marginally smart..." His voice was thick with sleep and amusement. Sarah elbowed him to be quiet.

"Oh shut up. You men are insensitive to the beauty of true love!" She huffed indignantly and turned the volume up slightly.

Sighing, the redhead realized he _was_ going to watch the goddamned show, given there was no way in hell of him getting up any time soon, so he settled back on bed, watching the overly dramatic, sappy, mushy and absolutely annoying program.

He sighed again.

* * *

"Where's my-" The dual haired teen snarled inwardly in frustration. Then he saw his blue cargo pants slowly sliding away. His left eyebrow twitched "_Bruma_"

Suddenly a black head poked from one of the pockets of his pants, and a soft meow sounded in the room. Kai scowled, hardly amused. The small, black fur ball emerged fully from the pocket of his pants, bright grey eyes looking up at him with the content only a loyal pet can muster. Kai, wearing a black t-shirt, and in boxers, glared at the small beast. Taking it by the scuff of its neck, Kai dropped it unceremoniously on his unmade bed and then got his pants on. He did the belt while he looked for his launcher.

Bruma, Omikami's cat, had been delivered to the Hiwatari household among other personal belongings. Kai, personally, wasn't all that thrilled at the prospect of having a cat around the house, particularly since the small pest had developed a tendency to hide in his pant's pockets. Annoyed, but consent that he had to run, he pocketed his blade and his launcher, and after a few seconds of indecision, his cell phone.

Giving the cat one last death glare, he quietly walked downstairs, out the house and into the clear night to answer Tyson's worried call.

_Hiwatari, you're getting bloody soft around the goody-two-shoes._

Dranzer in his pocket and Nyx in the pendant glowed in response.

* * *

Sarah snuggled down with a contented sigh, turning the TV off. Resting her head on Tala's shoulder, she all but purred in content.

"You know" Tala mused with a grin, now well rested and enjoying a nice cup of hot chocolate "This is probably on Ma's list of things we shouldn't be doing"

"Yeah" Sarah grinned, and then snorted "But I tremble at the thought of your sleep deprived self handling a knife" Tala sulked, somewhat insulted and she giggled "But really, why were you so tired Red?"

"Er, 'cause I've been earning my paycheck this week?"

"_Tala_"

"Oh fine, but don't tell the guys, I don't want them worrying over this" He sulked "We've got to pay the registration to next year's tournament, and I'm trying to do so by myself without having to ask Kai for help, even though I know the little bugger will gladly help. But I don't want to stand his smugness for it" He snorted "Plus I _can_ do it by myself, thank you ever so much"

"So you've been working your ass out for a tournament?" Sarah rested her chin on her palm, laying in bed as long as she was and giving what he had come to call _the eyebrow_.

"Yeah. And I'm selling a few essays for 8th years who are far too idiotic to write something appropriate for Smiraldova's class" He shrugged "It's a few easy to win rubles and I'm sure they'll fail miserably in the monthly so... yeah, that's basically it, besides the Ball's food order, which shall I remind you, I got for us"

Sarah rolled her eyes, but then both started.

"Fuck!"

"The Ball!"

Scrambling out of the comfortable bed, they rushed downstairs to start preparing the food.

"Aw, we're not getting much sleep tonight, are we?" Tala sighed, setting up things in the working table and looking at the clock, neatly marking 5:38 pm.

"No. Where does Ma keep the mint anyway?"

"Um, the cabinet under the sink... yeah that one" Tala grinned at Sarah's sulky expression "Heh, have I ever told you just how cute you look when you're pissed off?"

"So that's why you keep bugging me, eh?"

"Touché"

* * *

Lizeth sighed again as Maritza went on with her rant on _why_ Spencer and her weren't on a steady relationship, but rather on a close friendship. And how they weren't making out in the gym.

The black haired teen had never seen anyone rant so much about something, so fast and still so clearly. She massaged her temples as she felt a headache building up. Fed up with the, frankly, childish discussion and not in the least interested in having her love life, or lack of, as a topic of discussion of her so called friends, she stood up and retrieved her thick jacket, stopping at the door. She sighed again as she had gone unnoticed, Itza and Mel still bickering about non sense. With a last glance at both females, she stalked away towards the forest, intent in regaining her inner peace.

_Just why the hell did Mel have to push Bryan's issue? I'm not that fucking transparent, am I?_

A nagging whisper sounded in the back of her mind, but she quieted it with relative ease.

It was easier to, than to face the dooming truth behind it.

* * *

"Your girlfriend is unnecessarily annoying" Lizeth growled with slight irritation, looking at Ian with a mild glare "You've corrupted my best friend"

The blue haired, red eyed shrimp snorted and, to his credit, blushed almost unnoticeably.

"She's _not_ my girlfriend-"

"_Yet_"

"-and I haven't corrupted anyone" He gave her a rather hentai grin "She was rather willing"

"Urg, _gross_ Ian" Lizeth grimaced.

"But we're here to blade, not to deal with your emotional insecurities" The shorter teen said with a snicker. Black eyes were narrowed instantly.

"Who the hell has insecurities, Mr. _I-turn-into-Jell-O-anytime-Mel's-mentioned_?" Sherak was ready, and its mistress was growling quite loudly.

"Oh yeah? What about you, Miss _I-**so**-have-the-hots-for-my-roommate-but-won't-ever-admit-it_?"

"_Shut up!_"

* * *

Bryan walked towards the cabin, Rinny safely nested against him, sound asleep, when caught sight of Ian.

A roasted Ian.

He was covered in ashes and his clothes were letting out small threads of smoke. He blinked, then smirked mockingly. _Lizeth's handy work, no doubt._

"What did you do to her?" He asked as greeting, giving his shorter teammate an infuriating smirk.

"Go. To. Hell." Ian grounded his teeth, ignoring the slight pang of shame at having been so easily defeated, and so thoroughfully humiliated.

By the Wench no less.

Bryan snorted softly, careful of not waking the child in his arms.

"Where is she, though? Itza and Mel will leave soon and dinner's just around the corner" The lavender haired teen smirked "And we wouldn't want to repeat last time incident, would we?"

Ian flinched.

"Fine, she was pissed off, rather monumentally, and stalked away towards the river" Ian sulked "But don't complain to me if she fries your ass"

Bryan snorted.

"Ha ha, here, take the brat, I'll go look for the Wench" He carefully set Rinny in Ian's hold and smirked at the Shrimp's death glare.

Then he walked towards the forest, not bothering to look back.

* * *

"If you freeze to death, it won't be pretty"

Lizeth jumped slightly as Bryan's voice shattered the silence. She sighed, and didn't turn to face him.

"Go away" It wasn't precisely a pissed off voice, her rage long since dead, but more like a sulky depressive tone.

Bryan sat next to her.

A rather decent river flowed about two miles southwest from the Center. It wasn't really deep, perhaps ten, twelve feet at most, but its sides were generally forming a barrier of ice and frost to it, particularly after the sudden blizzard. Both teens were sitting at the edge, the river running a few feet below them.

Lizeth sighed, taking out a small paper box from her pocket, she hit it against her palm twice, before extracting a cigarette from it. Her lighter seemed to be dead though, as she tried it for a few times. Bryan offered his. Smirking at him, Lizeth lighted it, and took a deep drag.

"Does _Mother_ Red know you smoke?" The lavender haired teen asked with a risen eyebrow as he lighted one for himself.

"No" Lizeth paused to take another drag, then smirked "And he won't know, will he?"

Bryan pulled a fairly decent innocent face, or at least as he could manage to look innocent, taking a drag of his own.

"Know what?" He chuckled, shaking his head slightly "He'll throw a fit when he knows, though. Worries quite a lot, the bastard" Though the insult was issued smoothly, Lizeth detected a clear endearment as the lavender haired teen uttered it.

Well, as much as Bryan could be endearing anyway.

"Why are you here?" The black haired teen asked finally, looking at Bryan somewhat measurably.

"What else? To get you back in time for dinner" He snorted dryly "I'm not willing to repeat the bloody murder episode again"

"I'm not a child to be taken care of" Her retort held some acid, and Bryan rose an eyebrow.

"Skipping meals will land you with a seizure again" There was a slight reproachful note in his voice.

"Hn"

"I'm serious. I'm not going through Monday's shit again, just because you're too stubborn to admit you've got human needs" He actually glared at her.

"It was just... I'm fine"

"So I quote you. _Hn_"

They fell silent again, the only sound that broke the passive silence being that of the small puffs of smoke coming out of their lungs. Lizeth sighed.

"Sorry about Monday... I didn't... I didn't mean to hurt you" She looked away, not particularly glad she had had to apologize, but at least hoping he wouldn't mock her.

"You wouldn't be able to hurt me. Not even if you tried" Bryan snorted.

He regretted his wording though, since Lizeth stood up abruptly, walking away.

"Wench"

"_Leave me alone_"

"God damn it" _Can't something go my way? Just once?_

When he tried to reach for her, she sprinted.

_No, apparently, no it can't. God **damn it**._

"Wen... _Lizeth_" He grabbed her arm, but she twisted it in an attempt to free it, then tried to hit him when she failed. Bryan held both of her hands tightly "God damn it woman, talk to me"

"Let me go, Bryan, or so help me, I _will_ try and I _will_ hurt you" Lizeth snarled fiercely.

Bryan shoved her against a tree trunk none too gently. He had a snarl of his own.

"Yeah? And I _will_ watch you try" They glared at each other measurably "Speak. Up. I don't fucking care what's up, I want to know, and you _will_ tell me so. I live with you, I fucking go on with your temper tantrums and your childish mood swings, and I even keep my fucking mouth shut when you wake up at any hour in the night because you are having nightmares. So forgive me for asking a so called _friend_ to come down from her fucking superiority complex, be a little grateful and speak it out and in the open, What. The. Fuck. Is. Going on? Wanna rant? Then fucking rant. Wanna shout? Then fucking shout. Wanna yell bloody murder? Then yell bloody murder. But god damn it Lizeth, don't take it out on me like that. Not like that"

Her eyes were wide, but unlike her mind had expected, it wasn't fear. She would never fear Bryan, no matter what he did.

Lizeth frantically tried to gain control of herself before she did something stupid. _Good graces, why the hell is he so close?_ Bryan's glare grew colder and the Wench was painfully aware they were mere inches apart. _Oh sod it..._

"Wanna know what my problem is?" She snarled, and silently congratulate herself on her unwavering voice.

"Hell _yes_" Bryan tried to ignore the fact that as he snarled back, he placed himself almost nose to nose with her.

Lizeth kissed him.

Square on the lips.

Bryan froze.

Two seconds later, before he could react, Lizeth was already running away in the woods.

He blinked, then growled out loud, frustrated. Smashing his fist against the tree trunk in a fit of anger, he sprint right after her.

_God damn it!_

* * *

"Gone?" Ian asked as Spencer entered the room.

"Yep" The blond dropped in the couch opposite from the blunette, smirking "Finally. Those two are definitely much more havoc than I care for on a single day" He sighed contently as he snuggled back in the couch.

"Yeah" Ian shuddered "But the thought of those two actually agreeing on something's scary. Must be the ball, though"

"Urg, do _not_ remind me of that" The blond sulked.

"Heh. You're still in denial I see" Ian cackled when Spencer threw him a dirty look "Oh, c'mon Spence', _everyone_ knows you and Itza are hitting off. Hell's more obvious than Mel and me, and _that_'s saying quite a lot"

Spencer glared. And boy did he resemble Bryan when he put his heart to it. Ian, though, wasn't fazed. He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"We are _not_ 'hitting off' as you say. We did not in the past, we will not in the future. It never works" There was a slight tint of bitterness in that admission, and it perked Ian's curiosity.

"You sound like you tried" The shorter teen tilted his head to the side slightly.

"And failed miserably. Not once, but twice" Spencer gave Ian a meaningful glance "And you will _not_ disclose that. Or you won't ever be able to sleep without threat to your physical well being"

"Down boy! No need for threats on the midget" Ian smiled somewhat knowingly "You should cheer up at least. You two are still best friends, and all"

"Suppose"

"Besides" Ian smirked knowingly "Who says you _have_ to stay around Itza _all_ the time?" The Shrimp shrugged at Spencer's risen eyebrow "Please, I'm sure you can find someone out there in that tide of over hormonal emotional teenagers"

"My worst nightmare has come true. Ian Kynestov is giving _me_ advice on my love life" Spencer shook his head in mock despair "May god be merciful on us..."

"Ha, ha. Very funny mister" Ian snorted, then blinked "Mm, where's Bryan and the Wench?" At Spencer's risen eyebrow he elaborated "I had this little _argument_ with her earlier, then Bryan said he'd fetch her for dinner. But that was two hours ago"

"Strange..."

* * *

"Wench!"

Bryan snarled out loud, as he tried to catch up with her and she quickened her pace. _When the hell did she get this fast?_ He left his thoughts incomplete as he saw his chance and reached out to catch the fleeing female.

"Let me go!" Lizeth snarled wildly, half in panic as she tried to free herself.

With all that trashing, they ended up on the ground, Bryan was getting annoyed at the fact she wouldn't listen, and she was getting frantic not knowing what he'd do.

"Just... _Stop it_" He pinned her down, glaring down at her with all he had. Lizeth looked away "Fucking look at me, Lizeth"

Wincing at the use of her fist name, the black haired female dared to, only to have Bryan leaned in, returning her earlier favor much more gently and slowly. She let out a whimper under her breath, as her eyes slid close of her own accord.

When they broke apart, their breathing raged, Bryan rested his head on her shoulder, while she looked up at the sky.

"You don't have the faintest idea of how long I've meaning to do that" Bryan's voice dropped a few octaves at that particular admission, as Lizeth let a hand run through his hair.

"Perhaps I do" She admitted with a sigh as he rose to meet her eyes "But I don't know what I'm getting myself into"

_Please don't hurt me._

For a moment, Bryan was silent. Then, to Lizeth surprise, he smiled. An actual, sincere smile.

"Then we'll have to make up as we go"

_Please don't use me._

Lizeth smiled back, as she let him help her to her feet, still holding him. She leaned in to kiss him again, this time, both willing and prepared. As they broke apart, she grinned lop sidedly.

"We will... won't we?"

* * *

"There you are!" Ian called as the silent teens reached the dinner hall "Where the hell you were?"

Spencer raised an eyebrow.

"We decided to have a few battles before we got here and lost track of time" Bryan lied smoothly, rising an eyebrow to Lizeth, seeking confirmation.

"Yeah" Lizeth smirked half hearted "Damn bastard just wouldn't give up"

Ian shook his head, his attention already back with his meal. Spencer though, smirked noting the tension had shifted significantly around them, but refrained from comment. Lizeth took her usual place next to Bryan as they started eating calmly.

* * *

"Tala?"

The redhead turned at the sound of his name, smiling softly as Sarah yawned.

"We should probably get some sleep, now" The brunette pointed out with a small grin "Thankfully we don't have classes tomorrow... so we don't have to get up so early"

"Yeah... Look, I'll just wait for this to be ready, then I'll get to bed, ok?" The redhead smiled gently as he pointed to the soup bowl before him.

"Alright... Night Red" She yawned again, and walked out of the small kitchen.

The redhead shook his head and sighed slightly. Then reached a hand to touch the pendant that hung from his neck. It felt warm against his hands.

_Please, please let this feeling I have be wrong..._

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_Not much to note on this chapter, except that I had to rewrite the last scenes a total of four times. Bryan/Lizeth is harder to write than one would expect! I particularly like the way Itza and Spencer try to explain to others the way things are between them... though I sense some unrequited feelings somewhere :grins: By the way, get your mind off the gutter, anything between Tala and Sarah was merely platonic in this chapter, ok?_

_Anyway, I posted a One-Shot related to this storyline. It's Abby-time, just a short friendship Tala/Kai. Though it's not required to understand this plot, some details later on will come out from there._

_That being all, if you so you feel, please review._


	11. Chapter Eleven

_(A/N) Wow, when I posted the One-Shot I wasn't expecting all that response! That was like, 4 reviews in less than a day :squeaks: I'm starting to believe you people actually like me! _

_Anyway, next part, the day of the ball, and all the mess that comes with it, because really, we all know **nothing** can go smoothly when Tala and co. is involved._

_On a side note, I'm sorry for the lack of updates, I had an accident and had to be put on surgery and it really put me down for a while. But I'm fine now and I'm the new owner of a flaming iron rib and a really freaky knee, ain't that great? …well, not really, 'cause it doesn't let me breath or walk properly, but I'll be fine! Pests and me won't die that easily! ;) As it is, I think the updates will become frequent again… I hope… :winces: _

_Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, but I own plot and OC._

* * *

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Eleven, The Autumn Ball, The Long Awaited Night._**

Sarah groaned as she awoke. Turning in her bed, she sighed and slowly got up. She groaned again as she saw her nightstand clock marking 8:47 am. She dressed with dread, as she remembered the mess the kitchen was when she went to sleep. Walking down the stairs in a slightly sour mood at the prospect of so much cleaning, she entered the kitchen... and stared.

Tala was reading a newspaper, sitting at a clean worktable, and drinking a steaming cup of coffee. The room was almost shinning.

"Hey, nice to see you up, sleeping beauty" Tala said with a grin as Sarah blushed slightly, having been caught staring, but she recovered fairly quickly.

"You cleaned everything!" She beamed at him "Oh god, _thank you_"

Tala squeaked as he was submitted to a marginally lighter version of Ma's _hug of death_. Hesitating slightly, he wrapped an arm around Sarah and sighed. The brunette was a bundle of nerves concerning the ball. Partially because it would be the restaurant's first major work in a long while, and partly because she was looking forward to seeing Karen.

The redhead still didn't know what the brunette saw in him. Though he had gained Tala's respect in the blizzard, things between them were still... strained.

He sighed; it would be an interesting night, at least.

* * *

She awoke with a start, strong arms wrapped around her, nestled against someone warm. Her breathing was raged and her body still shook with the after shocks of the nightmare.

"Shh... It's alright"

Lizeth whimpered silently and indulged herself in the lavender haired teen's embrace. She shivered inwardly as she sealed the memories away.

"Do you want to talk about it?" The arms tightened their hold slightly.

Lizeth burrowed her face into the crook of his neck and shook her head. Her breath slowed, and she sneaked an arm around Bryan's waist. It wasn't all that late, but the sun was already up, and they had yet to get out of bed. Without Tala to poke people into action, things rarely got done in the cabin..

"_Gaaah_" Ian's screech (how could _male_ vocal cords reach that high pitch note was a mystery) reached them and made them wince, shattering the intimate mood in their room.

...Until Spencer decided it was time to start moving and got nasty about it.

"I don't want to get up" Lizeth indulged in a slight sulk and Bryan snorted.

"What a surprise..." His dryness got him a finger evilly jammed into his ribs.

"Shut up"

* * *

Kai sweatdroped.

"Eh, mom?" He ventured into the basement, somewhat hesitant.

"Shh... feel the energy flow Kai... the peace, becoming one with nature..." The woman was sitting in a lotus position, in the center of the room, listening to a nature sounds tape and burning incense.

Kai sometimes had to wonder about his mother's sanity.

"Err, right. Anyway, I'm going down town, I need some material for homework and I want to check out a few attack rings... I've got my cell phone"

"Ok, love... have fun, and make sure Bruma's out of your pants before you go" His mother made a strange motion with her arms "My connection to the source allows me to know it's going to rain"

Kai gave her a flat stare.

"Mom, the sky's grey, it's been thundering since dawn, and we _are_ in the season of torrential rain" He rose an eyebrow "Where does this connection enter the picture?"

"Where you get grounded for a month if you don't leave about just now" The slate haired woman replied smoothly and matter-of-factly, as she gave his son the family trademark raised eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes, but left in silence.

* * *

"_They caught the last train to the coast, the day the music dieeeed_" Tala sung as he swept the hall for the ball.

"If Madonna was dead, she'd be rolling on her grave" Karen's dry remark made the redhead glare.

"As if you knew _anything_ about good music" The redhead huffed, and continued working.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but since _when_ is American pop music considered good music?" Karen blinked, then snickered as he placed the mantel over the main table.

"I didn't say American pop music was good. I said _Madonna_'s music is" He grinned, "She's the undoubted queen"

"You know, Ivanov, I used to think you were an arrogant twit. Now I know you're simply mental" Karen leaned against the wall, smirking with superiority.

"Yeah? Well, at least I don't beat around the bush for those which I like" The redhead threw Karen a similar smirk as he leaned on his broom. The blunette spluttered, then snorted.

"Ha! _I_ beat around the bush? What about you and Pavlova? Or what, you aren't inviting me to the wedding?" He leaned in, smirking and taking great advantage of the two inches he had on Tala.

"Are you implying something Ruvloff" Tala leaned in too, narrowing his eyes, standing almost toe-to-toe with the blunette.

"Me? Besides the fact I opened a betting pool for you two? Nah!" He had the nerve to smirk smugly.

"_I don't like the hag!_"

"Ain't that cute? You already have nicknames!" Karen laughed and dodged the swinging broom.

"Oooh I'm going to wipe that smirk of your face Ruvloff..." Tala snarled, and raised the broom as a weapon. Karen smirked.

"Aw, Tala-poo is angwy... ow!"

"Serves you right, wiseass" Tala gave Karen a dark glare, broom safely nested in the blunette's head.

"So glad to see you have your _undivided_ attention on your work, boys" Tatiana stood in the doorway, giving both teens an amused risen eyebrow.

"_He started it_"

"_He started it_"

"..."

"..."

"...err, yes. Anyway, the band arrived just now, so if you aren't _too busy_, would you go help them move in their instruments?"

Tala put the broom away, and both walked out the gym, though Tatiana snickered as she watched them go, still bickering under their breaths. Then Tala fell face first against the corridor floor, and Karen sprinted.

"_Ruvloff!_"

"Boys will be boys..."

* * *

Kai glared up at the sky, thundering with the storm. _One of these days, Mom, I'm going to _forget_ I'm mildly decent and more or less well educated._ He kicked a small rock as he walked back home, carrying a plastic bag with various brushes and a few bottles of paint, safely hidden under a wide umbrella. He turned on his street and as he passed next to a vacant lot, he heard a low whimper. His scanned the abandoned field, the various rocks and some waste, all hit mercilessly by the pouring rain when he caught sight of two shinning eyes. Kai blinked.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The ruby-eyed teen walked over the tall grass and abandoned land, until he reached with his hand into a soaked carton box.

A pair of small, chocolate colored eyes looked up at him. Kai sighed and looked up at the skies, begging for patience. Then, carefully untied his scarf and lifting the small creature, wrapped it safely in the white cloth.

"You're one lucky fellow" The dual haired teen cradled the small pup against his chest.

The small brown dog whimpered and snuggled down in the teen's embrace, whining low in its throat.

_Just my luck... just my bleeding luck._

* * *

"You look like shit" Ian said with a grin, sitting in bed with Lizeth.

"Gee, love me a little, why don't you?"

The black haired female was laid stretched out, her arms folded behind her head, eyes half lidded giving the Shrimp an I-don't-give-a-flying-fuck-about-anything-right-now look. She did look tired; adjusting to the emotional upbeat of the day before and the few memories it had stirred had taken a bit too much out of her, though she still looked her usual bite-me self. Ian snickered. The imp was sitting at the foot of the bed, legs stretched alongside Lizeth's, looking particularly amused at his friend's situation.

"Hey I do, that's why I'm particularly glad you're not going to the ball. You look like you'd trip with your own feet" Ian snickered at the dark look "And we wouldn't want that, would we?"

"Hn, don't you have something else to do?" The wench wondered out loud, rolling her eyes "Bug Spencer, call Mel? Anything!"

"Aw, but who else would tease and squeeze all the sordid details out of you?" Ian smiled evilly "'Cause really, when we found you two this morning you didn't seem to be... ah, _angry at each other_ anymore. Now spit it out, I want sordid details... or I might have to try luck with Bryan, and I'd really like all my body parts to stay where they are"

Lizeth snorted, then glared.

"There're _no_ sordid details. Get your mind out of the fucking gutter" She snorted and smirked, closing her eyes "Unlike you, I can control my hormones" Ian spluttered indignantly "Oh _please_ Ian, we _saw_ you two behind the oak"

"We were _talking_, damn it, I can't talk to Mel anymore without someone pulling a sucking joke?" He glared, then blinked "Wait... _we_?" The shrimp had a bad feeling about that. A black eye opened to give him a pointed look.

"Bryan and me" She shrugged, then narrowed her gaze as Ian smirked knowingly.

"Oh sorry, did we get there first and you wanted to use the protecting shadow of the tree?" He made a dramatic bow. Lizeth was hardly amused "My, what a mph-"

He ended up with a pillow stuck in his mouth.

"Gah, really, seeing your _passiveness_, I wouldn't be surprised if you tied Bryan to the bed and... eep!"

"_You're going to **die**!_"

Bryan blinked as he watched from the doorframe. Lizeth was kneeling on the bed, with a death grip around Ian's neck, who also seemed to have a pillow stuck into his mouth. He blinked again, and then started chuckling lowly, but it quickly turned into full laughter as Ian's head bounced back and forth, with Lizeth's eyes two thin slits, her fangs bore in warning. The sound made Lizeth broke out of her daze, letting Ian fall limply in the bed, gasping for breath. She sulked at Bryan's very amused smirk. Ian, meanwhile, scrambled to get away from the Wench's grasp and past Bryan, who was walking towards the bed.

"Well, I'm off, I've got you know, stuff to do, yeah, right... bye!" And he closed the room behind him.

Bryan sat next to Lizeth, bringing up a hand to caress her face. He smirked.

"Cheating on me already?" He leaned in to brush his lips softly against hers, and smiled slightly as her hand came up to hold his shoulder.

"Oh yes. You know I have a thing for Shrimps" Lizeth smirked, nuzzling the underside of his chin softly "What's up?"

"Nothing much" Bryan shrugged "Apparently Mel, Itza and Sarah are making a makeshift beauty center in the restaurant. Tala's still at school dealing with the decorations and the stuff from the restaurant" He smirked "The Shrimp and Spencer are leaving after lunch, to go and mess up with the girls"

"You know, the prospect of annoying so many people makes the ball seem almost inviting" Lizeth mused with a snicker "Then I remember there's a crowd and people would expect, and in Mel's and Itza's case, force me to dance and I shudder at the idea"

"Hn. Up for a battle? Or are you still too _tired and weak_" Bryan dodged her flying fist and smirked with superiority.

"You're a mph-"

"Hey guys we're... _ew_, get a room!" Ian stood in the doorway, glaring at the kissing teens.

"News flash, idiot, this _is_ **our** room" Bryan cast Ian an irritated glare, while Lizeth blushed slightly.

"Urg. That was information that I needn't to know... _behave_!" And he was gone, dodging the flying boot that hit the closed door.

"Don't do the nasty!" Spencer's comment was slightly muffled by the door, but it made them glare.

"Some days I want to kill them" Lizeth muttered darkly as she tied her shoes and placed her launcher in her belt.

"_Some_ days?" Bryan asked with a risen eyebrow, snorting.

"Heh, be nice"

* * *

"...I see. Thank you Mrs. Ogawa" Kai stood in the kitchen, towel dropped around his shoulders, the small dog still wrapped on his scarf, resting on the counter "Don't worry, we'll keep it then... no, Mother won't mind... of course... good day to you too Madame"

Putting the phone back in place, the dual haired teen gave the puppy a flat look, then sighing, set to clean and dry the small thing, that couldn't be older than two months. Sitting arrogantly on the other side of the counter, Bruma eyed the smaller pet with indifference, cleaning itself slowly.

_My house's turning into a bleeding zoo._

* * *

Tala played a few notes on one of the band's guitars, a familiar pattern, trying to pin point where the cords were sounding off, unaware he was attracting attention to himself.

The band was a group of four twenty – something guys who played music as a hobby and who generally worked for all and nothing. Jan, the main guitar, Evan, the keyboard, Ilea, the bass and occasional supportive guitars, and Sergey at the drums. They did recognize the redhead for who he was though, and after the obligatory introductions and impromptu autographs (He had sweatdroped and Karen had glared), he offered to intone the guitars.

"You seem to know what you're doing" Ilea asked with a risen eyebrow, tilting his head to the side "Do you play?" The redhead shrugged.

"This and that. Used to be my venting when I was younger, though I haven't play properly in a while" He cracked his neck as he placed the guitar down "We even formed a band way back, just for fun. Was of the few things we did to, you know, just pass the time" He snickered "Bryan's got talent though. I play 'cause I'm stubborn, but he does by pure ear"

"Bryan as in tall, pale, evil bastard?" Karen, who was finishing hanging the decorations, commented with a risen eyebrow.

"Say what, your whole team's here?" Sergey asked blinking "Think you could get me some autographs at the ball? My baby brother would love me if you could"

"Sorry pal, but Bryan won't be at the ball" Tala snorted "He hates crowds, but leave your address and I'll see what I can do" He bowed mockingly "Everything to please a fan"

Karen dropped a wooden star right on Tala's head.

"Oops, sorry there, _your great canine-ness_" Karen made a mocking bow, balancing in the portable steps precariously.

"One more Ruvloff, one more and I'll hurt you in ways no human being should ever be hurt" Tala hissed, eyes narrowing almost into slits.

"Promises, promises, that's all you give me!" The blunette made a theatrical sigh, and gave the redhead a smug smirk.

Tala was startled at the implications for a second, then, with a straight face, kicked the steps, sending Karen tumbling down. The blue haired teen glared frostily, bearing his teeth in warning. Tala smirked, looking down at him.

"Now _who_, may I ask, is the rabid mutt?"

The band stared at them, blinking.

"You're nuts" Jan declared firmly, shaking his head in wonder "But if you get us those autographs, I'm willing to overlook that"

"Gee, how generous of you"

* * *

"You're hyper" Mel declared flatly, giving Itza a mild glare.

The violet-eyed teen squeaked as she went through the shorter teen's wardrobe, and ignored her. Mel sighed. Maybe letting Itza help her out wasn't such a good idea. Then again, the taller blond _had_ a better fashion sense than her, and Mel knew she wouldn't let her down.

"So, why are you so excited about the damn thing, anyway?" The platinum haired teen decided that she would milk away the situation.

"Well, for instance, it'll be the first real outing I'm having since I moved here" Itza held two blouses in her hands as she gave Mel a look "And, to be frank, I'm looking forward to unwind a bit" She sighed "My mother's pissed off, the Nationals are coming up next spring and she thinks I'm slacking off"

"You're kidding" Mel blinked "You're doing great! School work's a breeze for you, what the hell does she want now?" Her brow furrowed.

"That I get elected Capitan of the team for the next World Tournament, which I will, of course, but really, she's bordering on obsessive now" Itza shrugged, then picked up one of Mel's denim skirts "It's annoying really, and she's been forsaking Rinny a lot, of the late. I dunno Mel, she's getting kinda... well, bad"

"Due all respect, Itza, your mom's mental" Mel gave her a risen eyebrow, but Maritza, to her surprise, shrugged.

"Well, yes" The darker haired teen admitted thoughtfully as she settled some cloths on Mel's bed "She's always been this way. You know, when she had to retire early because of her leg, she never quite got over it. Then, bang, dad dies and she suddenly has to live from Grand's and Fryedka's. Her pride is like, nothing? Pushing me far it's her way of coping with things"

"Still, you know, it's not healthy that she tries to live through you" The platinum haired girl walked over to see her friend's creation "If you don't like it, you should quit it and be done with it. You're pretty good at others things, like Beyblade, or your violin..."

"It's not that, I love it really, the adrenaline of a world wide competition it's hardly rivaled, but, arg, you would think she would be at least pleased at my advances!" She shook her head, then shrugged "But that's mom, did you know she threw a fit 'cause I'm going to the ball with Spencer? Says the guy only wants to get me in bed" She rolled her eyes with flourish.

"Well, like I told you yesterday, you two _seem_ to be together" Mel sat down, and started brushing her hair "But well... I've been meaning to ask, though. If you have nothing with Spencer, who are you into?"

"Mel!"

"Oh c'mon. It's like it's going to get out of here, and really, you have to like _someone_" The platinum haired girl pointed at Itza with her brush, grinning "Personally, I just hope it's not Karen"

"Urg, gross" Itza shuddered, remembering her last two run-ins with the blunette "No, I just... I don't _like_ someone, I just..."

"Find him absolutely fascinating? Or perhaps it's find _her_" Mel mused with a grin as she smoothed her hair on her shoulders.

"You're _not_ helping" Flat stare "And no. **_He_**'s just... _interesting_. I dunno, kinda... alluring? I don't even have the word"

"Please don't tell me you're talking about Kieran" Mel raised an eyebrow, and smiled contently as her hair stayed in place.

"Gods no!" To the shorter teen's surprise, Itza blushed scarlet.

"Then who?" Mel rose and eyebrow and Itza leaned back.

"Ah..." She averted her eyes, quickly looking for something to change the topic "Hey, aren't those Ian's goggles?"

Mel forgot absolutely everything regarding Itza's love life as she stumbled through explanations of why said article (which was considered on Ian's top five most precious possessions) was doing on her nightstand.

* * *

"You're getting good at this" Bryan commented off handy as they sat on the edge of the snow covered dish.

"Well, between you and Tala breathing down my neck, I had to" Lizeth smirked lopsidedly, looking down at Sherak's sharp edge.

"Hn, it'll be an interesting tournament. You'll enjoy it" Bryan smirked, looking up at the already setting sun.

"I'm not sure if I'm good enough for that" She shrugged "You know, world tournaments and all that, I'd probably screw it up"

"Ha. Don't make me laugh" He gave her a risen eyebrow "You blade twice better than those crappy, whinny bitches in last tournament" At her disbelieving stare, he snorted "For instance, you actually deserve and gained a bit beast of your own right. They got it from their parents or their trainers. None of them actually got theirs by rights" Lizeth sighed, her shoulders dropping "Look Wench, Sherak chose you as her mistress 'cause you're one damned force to be reckon with. I doubt she was wrong"

"Yeah... it's just that I would really feel bad if I let you down" An arm wrapped tentatively around her shoulders, and taking the cue, she leaned her head against his shoulder "I'm getting bloody emotional aren't I?"

"Quite"

"It's your fault" Despite her words, she looked up at him with a half smile and a risen eyebrow. Bryan shrugged, smirking.

"Sue me" And he leaned in to kiss the corner of her mouth "Though I believe you carry half the guilt in this" As she moved to properly kiss him, she snorted.

"Bastard"

A risen eyebrow.

"Wench?"

* * *

"You know, Lizeth is really wise" Sarah muttered with a sulk as Mel and Itza squeaked in delight "She knew this would happen, I bet she knew"

"What can I say, our Wench's a smart one" Tala said with a grin, sitting backwards on a chair and watching the scene amusedly.

"Still don't know what you are doing here, Tala" Mel pointed out with a risen eyebrow.

They had Sarah cornered in a chair as both teens worked their way around to applying make up and whatnot. The redhead shrugged.

"What, and miss a chance for blackmail? Never" He gave Sarah a smug grin as the brunette sent him a frosty glare.

"I'll have you know that I hate you very much right now" The silver-eyed teen sulked slightly "Bastard"

"Heh, that's something you agree with me, Sugar" Itza said with a smirk, throwing Tala a look. The redhead glared "What? You're dry now, aren't you?"

"Yeah, after I changed my clothes and took a shower" The redhead pointed out with narrowed eyes "Hag"

"Ha! Coming from you that's a compliment!" Itza whirled around, blush brush in hand, and waved it around Tala's face dangerously "Considering what you said, a bowl of paint is _nothing_ compared to what I _should_ have done"

Tala sneezed when the damn thing poked his nose, and Maritza was covered with blush powder. Mel and Sarah shared looks and snickered as the other teens set off into a fight, ranting and ignoring them.

They also ignored how much like a married couple they looked, or the fact they were nose to nose again. Sarah brushed the tips of her hair with her fingers again, not used to having it down and sighed as they went on with their fight.

"Yeah? Well at least I have some _class_!"

"Class? Ha! If being a unbearable snob is having class then I'm better of this way!"

"Insensitive bastard!"

"Sodden hag!"

"_I hate you!_"

"_I hate you!_"

They ended up standing, back to back, sulking and raising their noses in the air.

There was a flash and both whirled around to see Mel with an instant camera in hand, waving the fresh photograph. She grinned.

"I'm going to call this _mutt & hag, a love marked in the skies with water and paint_" Sarah snickered as Mel got death glared.

Tala narrowed his eyes, and shared a look with Itza, before snarling. Fangs showing.

"You know Sverdrup, I'm going to overlook this in favor of owing Ian a big one, that and the fact I don't want to kill his girlfriend _before_ he gets a chance to confess" Itza snickered as Mel squeaked self-consciously. Tala glared "But if I see head or tail of that photo..."

"You ain't living long, Sugar" Itza finished the sentence for him, smirking "And you'll have to take it slowly Wonder pup, I want my go with her before you kill her"

"Oh don't worry, you can even go first if so you like" Tala made a gentleman-ish bow.

"Why thank you, Mr. Ivanov!"

"You're very welcome Miss Pavlova"

"..." Sarah stared at them, and so did Mel.

"You know, seeing you two being civil is freaking me out" She shuddered "A lot"

Itza winked at Tala.

_Truce?_

The redhead tilted his head in acknowledgement.

_Truce._

* * *

"But why can't I go?" Rinny looked up at Itza, who was already dressed up with big, curious eyes.

"Because it's a grown up thing, love" The blond smiled and patted her head "Besides, we wouldn't want to get mom angry, would we?"

Itza had, _somehow_, managed to convince her mother to let her and Rinny spend the night at the restaurant, since Mel, Sarah, Celeste, Irina and Celine had organized a girl's night.

Tala had shuddered at the thought and cursed Ma for making him promise he would stay and look out for Sarah. Thankfully, he had been given the relatively simple task of sleeping with and taking care of the child.

"Why don't you let me put her to sleep? Spencer's already waiting for you" Tala called from the doorway.

Maritza nodded. As she walked to the doorway, she caught his arm and tilting her head up to catch his eye, she smiled.

"Thanks... you're not so bad when you're dry" She winked and walked away.

"You're not half bad yourself... when you're not getting people soaked, that is" The redhead smirked and tilted an imaginary hat, as she stopped at the doorframe.

She stood there for a second, then, shaking her head, she left laughing slightly. The redhead shook his own at her antics, but he smiled.

"Now well, why won't you go to sleep, lady?" Tala gave Rinny a risen eyebrow, the girl pouted.

"It's early-"She started.

"It's not" Tala interrupted, rising his other eyebrow.

"-and I'm not sleepy" She crossed her arms stubbornly.

She looked ridiculously hilarious there, dressed up in light purple pajamas, hair down, pouting with her arms crossed. Tala willed the powers above to give him patience.

"Fine, and if I told you a story?" The redhead folded his own arms.

"I'm not a small child who needs to be told bedtime stories" Rinny looked positively cute when she puffed her cheeks in annoyance.

"Ah, who said anything about a bedtime story? It's just a story, one I think you don't know" He smirked sardonically "It's interesting even"

"Really?" The girl looked at him suspiciously.

"Really" The redhead smiled as she nodded.

"Ok then, tell me your story" She snuggled down the covers, settling herself for sleep.

"Do you know why sometimes the moon's full and other's it's waning?" Tala sat down, brushing a hand over the vibrantly colored strands of hair, so much like his own.

"Silly, it just does!" Rinny gave him a slightly annoyed glance, and the redhead shook his head.

"Heh, no... it's because the moon has a child. A Moonlight child" The redhead's eyes softened "The legend tells about a woman, a witch..."

* * *

_"...and she was lonely. Horribly lonely, and terribly in love" The woman smiled at the child, as her eyes softened "Her love consumed her, and her loneliness made her wish terrible things, evil designs. She walked up to a high peak, and conjured the great Silver Moon to ask her a favor"_

_"Like you call upon Anuk?" the child asked curiously, tilting his head to the side._

_"No love, we have a honor pact with Anuk, this woman called upon the moon to ask her to do something for her, but not minding the consequences" The woman's eyes flashed slightly "She begged, cried, wept, recounting her story dramatically of how the great Lord of her land was the only man she would ever love... and even though she asked a dark wish, the Moon complied"_

_"Really?" The child seemed confused "But if it was a bad thing, why did the Moon accepted?"_

_"Because she was lonely too" The woman smiled faintly "_You will have your male, sun kissed skin,_ said the Moon from up her skies, _but you'll have to give me in return, the first born child you have with him_"_

_"That's terrible!" The child was shocked and he looked at his mother with wide blue eyes._

_"Well yes, but you see, the Moon had her reasons... and they were fair, _For whoever gives up a child, so as not to be alone, little would care for him, anyway,_ the Moon's accusations were harsh, and true, but the witch was too overjoyed to listen, and the pact was signed. Seven days later, the wedding was held, and a year later, precisely on the same date of their pact, a child was born"_

_"And the witch gave it away to the Moon?" The child tilted his head to the side slightly._

_"No, she didn't have to. You see, she and her new husband were dark skins, people of low lands, of valleys, prairies, mountains and sun. As the Moon had called her, they were sun kissed skins, yet her son was white as the fresh snow from the peaks, and his eyes were bright moonlight grey, not his mother's chestnut, or his father's emerald"_

_"He was the son of the moon?" The child's voice was awed._

_"Yes. He was a Moonlight child. But his father was a man, a powerful man whose honor felt betrayed" The mother's tone turned solemn._

_"Because the boy didn't look like him?"_

_"Yes... and the thought that his beloved wife, to whom he felt the dark, consuming love instigated by the Moon, had deceived him tortured him until he became obsessed. One night, on the peak of his anger, his betrayal, he went to his wife, blade at the ready and asked her, _Who fathered your child? Damned be his fate, he's a child from sin, and that I won't let be... _And he wounded her fatally, leaving her to die in the gardens, under the accusing gaze of a full Moon. Her blood dripped, and the white roses tainted red, a passionate red, a cursed red. The man took the child, and not willing to kill an innocent by his own hand, he took towards the forest and he abandoned him in the deeps of the untouched land"_

_"He didn't die, did he?" The small, redhead child blinked "That would be a tragic story if he did"_

_"No, love, he didn't die" The woman smiled "The wolves, the servants and at times companions of the Moon took him, and cared for him, until the Moon herself came down to earth, in her silver glory, all light and beauty, and taking the crying child into her arms, she sung him a song, caressing him and then taking him up into the sky with her..."_

* * *

"Do you know that song?" Rinny tilted her head to the side, curious, now sitting in the redhead's lap.

"Yes, I do... but I'm not all that good at singing" The redhead shook his head.

"Oh please... just this one" Rinny made him puppy eyes, and Tala laughed.

"Fine... but if the glass shatters is your fault" He caressed her hair again, then, as if bringing back lost memories, he began in a soft, whispering voice "_Silence little one, that Moon wants to be a mother, and she can't find a love who will make her give birth, but she has found a child, she will love and care for as her own... Tell me, Silver Queen, what is what you'll do, with a flesh, human child? A Moonlight Child. And in clear nights, when there's a full moon, it'll be 'cause the child is joyful, but if the child cries, the moon will wane, to make it a swinging bed... for a child thought to be a sin, I will make a miracle, a Moonlight Child... Moonlight Child... Moonlight Child..._"

Tala settled the smaller redhead properly in bed and leaned in to kiss her forehead. Through the window, he saw the bright full moon in the sky. He smiled and cleaned a stray moisture in his eyes with his sleeve, then smoothening his cloths, he walked towards the door and closed it softly.

"Moonlight Child indeed... Sleep well, Mother... Alexei"

* * *

"She's asleep?" Sarah asked curiously as Tala entered the room.

She had to admit he looked good. He was wearing a pair of white slacks and a long sleeved red shirt that matched his hair almost perfectly. A thick white jacket would finish the look. She, herself, was attired with a long cream colored skirt and a blue high-necked, sleeveless blouse. Oh, and a pair of infernal high heels Itza had simply insisted on lending her. Her hair was loose, cascading around her shoulders and framing her eyes so they stood up. A simple silver cross and earrings completed her look.

"Yeah. Had to tell her a story to make her fall asleep though" The redhead shook his head, fondly "She's such a manipulative little bugger... so much like her sister it's scary"

"No, you being civil with her sister is scary" Sarah snickered as he helped her up into Julia's truck "Why Tala, if I didn't know better I'd say you like her"

"Hn" The redhead started the truck and shrugged as he took the main street, going slowly since the roads were iced. He gave Sarah an enigmatic smile "Perhaps, but I'm not sticking my nose where it doesn't belong"

"Who says it doesn't belong there?" Sarah challenged with a risen eyebrow as they reached the school, only six blocks away.

"Look, I've known Spencer since I was eleven, I've been in the receiving end of his pranks, of his sarcasm and his nastiness in general since then... but he's a teammate, and even more importantly, he's my friend" Sarah gave him an exasperated look, Tala leaned in and smirked "Besides, between you and me, I don't want to be on his bad books"

"Coward" The silver eyed teen jammed a finger into his ribs, rolling her eyes accusingly.

"Call me whatever you want, but I'm not spending another night hanging upside down a fucking tree in my birthday suit just for fun" He parked and walked around to help Sarah down.

"You _what?_"

"Exactly my point" He winked "Now lady, ready for your big night?"

"You make it sound like it's such a big deal" She sulked slightly as she stumbled in the snow sheet with her shoes "Remind me to kill Itza for this?" Tala snickered.

"Sure thing... but remember, just because Karen's toned down, it doesn't mean he's back to his goody two shoes days" He gave her a look "Just don't do anything that would make Ma kill me"

"You're such a worried twit" She grabbed his arm and leaned on him as they made their way towards the entrance.

"Yeah, but charming enough you love me anyway" Tala smiled flirtatiously, and got an elbow in-between his ribs for his efforts.

"Hn, and _so_ modest"

"Damn straight!"

_So you know... your nose and the rest of you belong there much more than you imagine... Let's just hope Itza doesn't do anything stupid today._

* * *

The gym looked great. Despite all of Irina's (Head of the Ball organizing group and the one in charge of making things go smoothly) protests, Tala, Karen and the others in charge of the decorations had made a good job. Paper made garlands hung from the ceiling, all in oranges, browns and reds, colors that in all truth, were rarely seen in their frost covered land. They had placed several wooden stars where the garlands touched the ceiling, and the lamps were covered with translucent blue paper, which made the whole room look surreal. Couples and small groups of people gathered around the scattered tables, talking and generally enjoying a good time. The band was still warming up, playing electronic beats, and some people had already ventured into the dance floor.

Tala fled towards Spencer and Ian once Sarah, Mel and Itza caught sight of each other.

"I'm starting to believe that whole Bryan-n-Lizeth-know-something-we-don't-about-this-thing crap Sarah was going at before is true" The redhead shuddered as he approached.

Spencer said nothing; instead, he tilted his head towards Ian.

A very nervous Ian who seemingly couldn't stay still for five seconds.

Tala snorted.

* * *

They sat in silence around the small coffee table of the cabin. Many sheets of paper covered the surface, as well as different pencils and drawing devices. The soft electronic music in the background and the scraps of pencil against paper were the only sounds in the cabin. Bryan worked in a water colored styled drawing of Wolborg, while Lizeth was busy drawing Sherak. They worked silently, enjoying the simple pleasure of each other's presence in the room, and the knowledge that the other was enjoying it too. He was clad in only a pair of loose grey pants and an oversized pale blue t-shirt, she, in her trademark black tank top, but wearing a pair of his sweatpants. The fire burning merrily in the fireplace kept the room warm and cozy. Lizeth finished her work with a brush, blurring the lines slightly as if was fog and showed it to Bryan. He nodded.

"And you said you couldn't do color" He commented with a small smirk, rolling his eyes slightly.

"I still say so. I rather do grey..." She shrugged and leaned in to see his, marveling in the clear lines.

Wolborg stood in its trademark attacking pose, seconds before launching the blizzard strike against the enemy, surrounded by a light blue fog and some ice shards. The black haired teen wondered how Bryan managed to give life to his work, as the wolf seemed to be about to move.

"Wonder what others are doing now?" The female mused, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Ian's walking on eggshells around Mel. Tala's trying to scape Sarah and Itza. Spencer is willing himself to become part of the wall. You know, the usual" Bryan's casual retort, made Lizeth roll her eyes, and then she gave him a curious look, tilting her head slightly.

"Say Bryan, why didn't you go?" Her voice was laced with a curious undertone, and the lavender haired teen shrugged.

"Why didn't you?"

"I asked first" She retorted with a shrug "But if you must know, because I don't dance"

"Hn. I don't like crowds" He deadpanned as he finished brushing the drawing "Or people"

"So you don't like me" Lizeth mock pouted, jamming a finger in-between his ribs. He hissed.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it" He caught her hand, and twisted them over so she ended up in his lap.

Lizeth death glared him, blushing faintly. Pressing her hands over his shoulders to keep her balance, she narrowed her eyes.

"Let me go" The arms around her tightened more.

"No" Bryan was giving her that infuriating I'm-so-much-better-than-you smirk.

"Bryan..." She leaned in as she hissed warningly, bearing her fangs.

"Yes?" He was amused, given he knew and _she_ knew he had total control of the situation.

"Would you be kind enough as to _please_ let me go?" She grinded her teeth in annoyance.

"Dance with me" The smirk was gone, replaced with a simple smile. So simple, it was unique.

"Beg your pardon?" She blinked, confused.

"Dance with me" He leaned in to brush his lips against her softly, then, without breaking the kiss, raised to his feet, carrying her in arms, one arm tucked under her knees, the other safely resting in her back.

Lizeth squeaked and breaking the kiss, gave him a risen eyebrow.

"I don't dance" She stated flatly, shrugging, though not complaining on his hold on her.

"Neither do I, but I want to" He nuzzled the underside of her chin "With you"

"Bryan..." She unfolded her legs, bare feet touching the soft, plushy carpet silently.

The background music from the computer wasn't exactly danceable, but it had a soft lulling rhythm they both moved at, nothing fancy, just... intimate.

* * *

Sarah sighed contently, arms wrapped comfortably over Tala's shoulders as they moved smoothly though the dance floor. Even though the redhead had protested, he was quite capable of pulling his own weight dancing, even if it was reluctant. The redhead was sweat dropping inwardly, though, as he could feel Karen's frosty glare on the back of his neck. The band played some pop-ish music, very adapt to dance, and couples started flooding the dance floor. Ian was trying hard to keep his breathing/heart beat in check as he talked to Mel on a corner.

"You know, that scowl of yours is _really_ becoming"

Spencer turned around at the sarcasm and was flashed by a camera. Blinking away the flash as his pupils returned to normal, he glared down at Celeste, who was grinning smugly, camera at hand. The petite redhead was wearing a simple pale green dress that brought out the color of her eyes, and a simple gold pendant and earrings. She grinned at the much taller blond with a knowing glint in her eyes.

"And this tendency of yours of annoying the living daylights out of people is simply charming" He replied in an equally dry tone, but she merely shook her head.

"Very funny, big guy... so, what's up? Why so suddenly blue?" She tilted her head to the side slightly "I thought you came with Itza?"

Said blond was dancing with Kieran somewhere in the mass of people.

"No, she _dragged_ me here" He rolled his eyes "You?"

"Just came here to take pics for Monday's paper" She lifted the camera "You know, when you think about it, it's kinda sad that the biggest event in this town is the bloody ball, for a season that's already gone"

Spencer snorted.

"Oh, you have _no_ idea..."

* * *

"Go to sleep Kai, we've... Is that a dog?" Kat blinked as she entered her son's bedroom.

"No mom, Tala came to visit" The dual haired teen gave his mother a not so flattering stare.

Said pest was curled on one of his scarves at the feet of the bed, while the dual haired teen sat at his desk, pulling together his project. Bruma was resting contently in his left pocket, purring softly.

"Very funny love, but where the hell did it come from?" The slate haired woman shook her head and gave him a strange look.

"It's one of Flash's pups. You know, Mrs. Owaga's dog? Apparently it run away from where her husband was giving them away and somehow ended in the vacant lot. Since it was either keeping it or killing it, I told her we would take it in…" He shuddered and glared darkly "See what you've made me into? I've developed a conscience"

"Oh drop the drama…" Kat rolled her eyes and huffed "Fine, but it's _your_ responsibility-"

"_What_ in this house isn't?" Risen eyebrow.

"-And I won't let you use this as an excuse to miss out school or office work, Mister-"

"I could be on my _death bed_ and you wouldn't" Rolled eyes.

"And most importantly, it's your responsibility it won't eat Omi-Chan's cat" Kat gave him a flat stare.

"Due all respect mom, I think that should be the other way around" Kai looked from the fur ball in his pants to the small brown dog in his bed "But yeah, don't worry" The red eyed teen shrugged "What else could go wrong anyway?"

"Alright then… Good night Kai" Kat shook her head as she left, then before she closed the door, she snorted "Don't stay up all night, we have a meeting tomorrow, early morning"

"Sure" Kai sighed as the door closed and got back to work.

Unknown to either of the occupants of the house, a powerful thunder struck the oak in their backyard, foretelling disaster.

* * *

_Finally..._ Tala raised an eyebrow at the upcoming blunette, and Karen simply death glared.

The redhead chose not to comment on the faint blush his rival was sporting.

Letting go of Sarah, he grinned knowingly at her as Karen coughed. At the sight of him, Sarah promptly blushed furiously, and Tala faded away in silence. _Mission accomplished..._

And bumped against Itza. Both turned, apology half way out, when they realized whom they had bumped with. A blood red eyebrow was raised, as a well-known smirk swept though his face. She blinked, then shrugged. They exchanged looks for a second, then set to dance. Kieran, who had been olympically ignored by the now dancing duo, shrugged and walked away, a very amused grin in his face.

_I believe I've just gained two hundred rubles… Heh._

* * *

"You kept up with me, Ivanov, I'm marginally impressed" Itza smirked as they stopped by silent agreement to go and get a drink. Tala shrugged.

"You don't have two left feet, I'm marginally impressed Pavlova" He retorted, smirking lopsidedly, eyes alight with mirth.

"Bastard" Violet eyes rolled in mock despair, as she took a cup of a bright colored juice.

"For you? Always" He bowed his head slightly, mocking respect, as he took a glass of water.

"Why, if I didn't know better, I'd think you're flirting, Mr. Ivanov" Itza smiled mysteriously behind her cup, rising an eyebrow questioningly.

"Curiously enough, if I didn't know better, I'd say you're enjoying it immensely, Miss Pavlova" Tala retorted smoothly, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"What a coincidence" She chuckled softly.

"Indeed" He shrugged "Another dance, Ma'am?" He smirked, offering a hand.

"Lead the way then" She threw the paper cup into the trashcan, and grabbed his hand confidently.

Both pretended not to feel the spark the contact ignited.

* * *

"I can't believe you made me do that!" Mel laughed self consciously, shaking her head in mock despair.

"I can't believe you got away with it" The red eyed teen mused with a smirk, and she blushed brightly.

"Ian! I could have been seen! Or expelled!" The blond chided him slightly, smoothening her skirt nervously.

"Bah, from what I see, Tats didn't mind that much" Ian grinned, eyes alight with mirth as he looked over to their headmistress, currently trying to get the paper cuttings out of her hair.

"Don't call her that, it's scary" Mel shuddered, and Ian leaned in with a risen eyebrow.

"If I didn't think it's ludicrous, I would say you're almost _jealous_" Mel squeaked.

"Am not!" She glared, leaning in herself.

"Really?" Ian smirked _Now or never… _"That's good…"

He leaned in and kissed her._ Oh my god…_ Mel sighed.

It wasn't _that_ hard. It had only taken him half of the night of nonsense talk, nervousness attacks and randomness to work up enough courage to kiss her. And damn it, it was good. When they broke away for air, he couldn't remember when her arms had come up around his neck or his had reached for her hips. But when she grinned shyly, slightly flushed, he leaned in for another round, consequences be damned. A stray thought cross his mind, but it wasn't strong enough to make him brake the soft contact.

_If any of the guys sees me now, they won't ever let me live this down._

* * *

"You ok?" Tala frowned slightly as he wrapped his arms around Maritza, forcing her to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Truthfully? No" She closed her eyes for a moment as she felt him guide them out of the dance floor.

"Want me to drive you home?" When she opened her eyes, she met two clear sapphires, looking worriedly at her "Itza?"

"No… just let me get some air" She smiled as she breathed deeply, gently pushing him away "I'm fine, it's just…" She shrugged, already walking away.

Tala frowned, but let her go. He had a bad feeling about it. Shrugging, he went to get some water, and as he drank it, his eyes fell on the innocently looking juice. It clicked, and he rolled his eyes. _Of all the stupid things… it's **obvious**…_ Serving himself a bit, he tasted it and he shuddered, the bitter taste of vodka almost burning down his throat. _How she, hell the rest of them, didn't notice?_ He rolled his eyes and slid towards Irina, who was busy dancing with Derrick.

"Steal your partner for a second?" He asked with a slight smirk, offering a hand to the blunette.

Shrugging, the purple haired teen complied, moving to the side, frowning slightly.

"This better be good Ivanov" Was all she said as he guided them smoothly "I'm trying to get myself a boyfriend and a jealousy attack is _not_ what I need right now"

"Someone spiked the drinks" The redhead informed her with a risen eyebrow "Is that important enough to interrupt your Kodak moment with Ricky dear?"

"What?" She whispered-screamed, eyes widening.

"Yeah, everything but the water has enough alcohol to land half the school with a hangover the size of Siberia" His lips thinned "I'm willing to bet anything Nikita and Kristian are into this"

"Karen too?" Her voice revealed her surprise at Tala not involving him.

"Nah, he's too… _engrossed_ in the matter at hand to do anything stupid" At Irina's questioning look, he nodded towards Karen and Sarah. The blunette squeaked.

"They're getting together again?" Tala blinked, but she waved dismissingly "Long story, but thanks for telling me. I'll take care of… well, talking about pests"

She glared in the direction of the door, and following her gaze, Tala saw Nikita and Kristian sneaking outside, looking quite suspicious as they did so. The redhead's eyes narrowed.

"If you excuse me, I have to check on someone… deal with the drinks, will you?" He let go of her and quickly slid through the side, disappearing in instants.

"What was all that about?" Derrick asked as he caught up with Irina. She winked.

"Well, someone spiked the drinks, which I have to solve right now, and Tala's gotten himself a girlfriend" She grinned as Derrick blinked.

"But I thought he and Sarah were an item?" His doubtful tone made his partner roll her eyes.

"Oh _please_, what's with males that can't see anything beyond the obvious?" Whether it was intended to Derrick or to herself was unknown as she disappeared into the backroom.

Derrick paused, scratched his head and sighed.

"_Girls_"

* * *

"Wasn't Tala going to drive you home?" Karen asked blinking, momentarily braking the mood. Sarah blinked, looking up from his shoulder.

"Yeah, why?" She tilted her head to the side, looking up at him curiously.

"'Cause he just stormed out, hell and fury in his face and for once, _I_ didn't do anything" The blunette gave her a half smirk and a shrug, but she frowned.

"Strange… c'mon let's go see what's wrong"

"But-"

Death glare.

"Aw, _fine_"

A huff and a sigh.

* * *

"Mmm, Karen and Sarah are leaving, and so is Tala… what could possibly be going on?" Celeste mused, her eyes narrowed.

"You need to work on your subtle remarks" Spencer snorted, giving her a flat stare "They're supposed to be that, _subtle_"

"Oh, quiet you. Let's go" She grinned "My journalistic nose tells me there's a story brewing somewhere out there"

"No, that's Kieran smoking"

"_Shut up and walk_"

* * *

Itza stood against the rail of the staircase, holding back a moan of despair. Her head was spinning and she had the distinct feeling she was about to throw up. She groaned, she felt like she had…

"Oh _great._ Stupid teen shit. I'm gonna kill someone…" She snarled, and the world around her span faster, groaning again, she held the rail with white knuckles "Perhaps when the world stops spinning… things _can't_ get worse"

"Feeling lonesome, Pretty?"

She groaned and looked up at the sky in despair, then turn to see Kristian and Nikita smirking nastily at her. She snarled, in spite of her vision doubling when she did.

"Just what I need, Twiddle Dumb and Twiddle Dumber. What the _fuck_ do you want?" Her eyes narrowed, and she tried to mask her discomfort.

"Now, now, what kind of language is that? We're here, just trying to help and this is how you treat us?" Nikita smirked, slowly walking towards her.

"That wasn't very nice from you, was it?" Kristian sneered, as they closed up on her, backing her against the rail. She snarled.

"Touch me and die" Her eyes were narrowed and she bared her teeth in warning.

"What, you're going to come and hit me?" Nikita smirked reaching out for her.

"No, _I_ will" Tala grabbed the blond by his shoulders and threw him to the side with a snarl, bearing surprisingly long fangs "Think's pretty funny, don't you? Messing up others while they can't do a thing about it?"

The black haired teen shot up a punch, which the redhead dodged with ease. Meanwhile, Itza tried to keep her insides there, inside her. Her vision swirled and her head protested loudly. She groaned as her mind got hazy.

_People I know need to stop counting on me to make the hero number_. The redhead thought dimly as he dodged a punch, and backed from the attacking duo. He needed to get those two in their place, and quickly, since Maritza seemed to be about to fall down.

"Tala what… _Tala!_"

_Great, just… great. Exactly what I needed._

Sarah, still holding Karen's arm, stood at the top of the stairs looking at them; Sarah with worry, Karen with unease. Nikita tackled him and he hit the wall harshly. He groaned, then snarled as the blond raised his fist. He winced, expecting the blow, but was surprised to see Karen holding him back.

"That's enough" The blunette snarled, grey eyes flashing up dangerously "Leave them alone"

"Oh c'mon Karen, who are you siding with? The bunch of losers or your friends?" Kristian asked petulantly, rubbing his sore arm.

The blunette was silent for a second, as his eyes traveled from Tala, to them. He knew that if he aided them, the redhead, despite his own worth, wouldn't stand a chance. Then he caught Sarah's eye, and shrugged.

"I'm on my own tonight" He declared coldly, offering Tala a hand "Unlike you two, I know when things are out of hand"

Nikita narrowed his eyes, and Kristian snarled, but they ran away when Spencer and Celeste appeared behind Sarah.

"See? I told you!" The short redhead smirked, nudging Spencer with her elbow. He rolled his eyes.

"What on earth's going on here?" His brow darkened at the sight of the purple-eyed teen, looking so grim.

"Nothing!" Karen and Tala blinked and looked at each other, then shook their heads.

"The dynamic duo spiked the punch and Itza got drunk" Tala shrugged, helping the almost unconscious teen to her feet. She leaned on him heavily. Spencer groaned.

"Oh fan-fucking-tastic" He rolled his eyes and elaborated at the looks he got "She's hyper sensitive to alcohol. In other words, the most miserable quantity will react on her as if she had drunk a bottle. I'll better take her back home"

Tala frowned, and shrugged. Looking down at his watch, he saw it was only 11.

"Why don't you stay? I'll drive her back and put her to sleep, I was planning on going back already anyway. You seem _busy_ and Karen can drive the girls back instead, right?" The redhead smirked, as Celeste blushed the color of her hair and Spencer frowned.

"Sure" Karen shrugged "Why don't you take my car and I'll take the girls back to the restaurant in the truck" He offered Tala the keys.

"Fine" _but I'll kill you if something happens to her_.

"It's settled then" Tala tried to ignore the blonde's death glare set on him and rearranged the girl leaning on him into a more comfortable position.

They moved towards Karen's car, an old dark green Volkswagen that had surely seen better days, and carefully set the unconscious blond in the passenger's seat. Spencer seemed sulkier than usual as Tala gave Karen the keys.

"If a hair of hers is out of place, and never minding what you did tonight, you're dead" The blunette tried to ignore the death glare as he took the keys and nodded "And you better be back home at two, I want to get _some_ sleep tonight" Sarah nodded, and gave him a grateful look "Alright, all set… Spencer, don't let Ian get in trouble… and get me some incriminating pics of our golden pair, will you?" He smirked as the blonde's mood lightened slightly. _She'll be fine_.

He slowly drove out of parking lot, eyes on the girl next to him.

"This is _not_ what I had in mind for tonight" He mused out loud, giving her a suffering stare "Just so you know"

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_The lullaby and the story Tala sings/tells Rinny was inspired by a Spanish song, "Hijo de la Luna", by Mecano. Basically their song tells the story, which I thought to be fitting of something Tala's mother would use as a bedtime story. You'll see later why. The lullaby though, was written by me, so back off, **lyrics are mine!** :glares darkly:_

_While I like the chapter, I feel as if the flow was slightly slower, which is what I intended, 'cause you see this is one of those big emotional moments, the calm before the storm so to speak. Also, Kai is starting to pop into scene more frequently, 'cause he'll be important to the main storyline soon, although he's kind of the randomness part of this fic._

_Also the comings and goings of romance are not exactly pleasing me, but I've been trying. I'm just kind of rusty... :sweat drops: Can you guess what the hell will Tala do with Itza:evil grin: And yes, I'm slowly but surely redeeming Karen. But it's going to take **long** before he actually becomes a more, eh, less bastard-y character._

_Finally, to end the rant, I'm closing some loose knots in next chapter, and also I want to thank for their support my favorite test subject (in her own words "human guinea pig /torture victim/ Ian resemblance"), Starlight HBT, 'cause she's slowly reaching by putting up with my craziness, and Mad Cat & Kaieshakai, for being my most steady reviewers in this work. Thanks, I write this, in essence for myself, but also to share my views with others... I feel loved!_

_If you so you wish, please review._


	12. Chapter Twelve

_(A/N) It feels good to be back on writing, and again I'm sorry to whoever was expecting updates… I'm working! Anyway, next chapter, the final part of the ball and its complications… see what I meant when I said it would have been too long to read as one chapter?_

_Heh, enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, but I own plot and OC._

* * *

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Twelve, The Autumn Ball, The Morning After._**

"Whoa" Tala caught Itza as she stumbled forwards, and leaned against the car "If you can hear me, be so kind as to make this easier for you and for me" She mumbled something and nuzzled his chest "What?"

"You smell nice"

The redhead rolled his eyes and tried to walk, then, seeing he couldn't, he lifted her into his arms with relative ease. She wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled the underside of his chin.

"Maritza, stop that this instant" He wondered why his voice wavered slightly as he said so.

"I don't want to…"

"Pavlova, whatever part of your mind is still in charge… stop this-"

He groaned when she leaned in to kiss him, and one of his hands shot out to the car, looking for something to hold on. She leaned against him and he let out a moan as her tongue pushed against his own, then past it, caressing the cold metal of the stud. _Oh **god**_… He indulged in the kiss for a moment, his conscience still too startled to protest of what he was doing.

"You pierced your tongue? That's so un-Tala…" The fact she was still biting his lower lip shot straight to his groin "I like it"

_You stop this instant!_ He hated having a conscience, he really did, particularly when she had the metal stud in between her teeth, and a stray hand was trying to dip into his waist band. _Good god!_ Groaning, he pushed her away gently, and trapped her arms on her sides with his own as he carried her with ease, though he didn't dare brake the lip lock. _Spencer will be mad… Spencer's gonna throw a bloody fit… Spencer will kill you if you do… Spencer… Oh dear lord…_ They fell on the snow covered floor when both her legs came around his hips and she pushed herself flushed against him. Unbalanced and aroused, they ended up soaked by the snow.

Tala idly wondered what kind of mortal sin he was paying for.

* * *

"Well, the lights are out, that's good, right?" Celeste pointed out with a risen eyebrow as they stood in front of the restaurant.

There was a pregnant pause, as the girls looked at each other worriedly, while Karen stood there oblivious to what was bothering them. They entered into the heated building and found it all in shadows. Instinctively going for the kitchen, Sarah found Karen's car keys on the working table, as well as Tala's jacket and Itza's coat thrown carelessly over a chair. The girls shared looks again, and Karen shook his head.

"I'm not sure I want to know what's going on, but I guess I'll see you lot on Monday" He rolled his eyes as they shared looks, again, and grabbing his keys, he made his way out.

As the door closed by unanimous vote, they decided to crash Sarah's room and find out what was going on the next morning. Before falling asleep, though, each of them wondered privately what could have happened, but Mel's lovesick sighing distracted them, completely dissolving the tension in the room.

* * *

"If you snap that photo, we're good as dead" Ian whispered at Spencer, eyes fixed on the sleeping pair.

"If I don't, we'll regret this wasted chance forever" The taller blond reasoned with a shrug.

Lizeth grumbled something in her sleep, snuggling further into Bryan's embrace and Ian had to bite the back of his hand to stop himself from snorting out loud. The blond made a sign with his head and the shorter teen opened the door of their room and theirs, ready to sprint as soon as they woke.

"One…" The blond raised the camera, focusing.

"Two…" Ian's eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Three!"

There was a flash, the snap of the camera and a startled grunt from Bryan, followed by Lizeth's snarl. Both conspirators ran into their room, slamming the door and leaning against it. A second later, something heavy slammed against it.

"_Spencer!_"

"_Shrimp!_"

The shorter teen was laughing so hard his sides felt like they were about to snap and his partner in crime wasn't any better.

"Get out and face your painful dismissal like men!" Lizeth's outraged snarl served only to make them laugh harder.

* * *

She came around with one hell of a head ache splitting her head in two. She moaned lowly as her temples pounded and her whole body ached in protest at her first tries of sitting up. Opening her eyes all but a slit, she let out a miserable sound as the light burnt them. Deciding to wait, and not knowing exactly where she was, she laid there, in silence, listening only to the sound of her own breathing. After a while, and with much effort, she managed to open her eyes, adjusting to the light in the room. She was in an unfamiliar bed, and she tried in vain to recall what had happened the night before, keeping her panic attack in check. Only brief flashes reached her, of hands tugging at clothing and of kissing, but nothing clear enough to figure out what had happened. Glancing around, she relaxed when she found Rinny sleeping comfortably in a small cot in a corner, but it didn't help her solve how she had managed to get there. Wincing a great deal, and with loud protests from her aching back, she managed to sit up and breath caught on her throat at the sight at greeted her.

The redhead was asleep sitting against the door, in what couldn't be a comfortable position for his back or his neck. She noted he wasn't wearing a shirt or a t-shirt, but a pair of faded away old grey sweatpants. Under the light that managed to enter from the closed curtains, faint scars stood up against the otherwise pale skin of his arms and his chest. Particularly a long one that went from his right shoulder down to his stomach, about two inches left from his navel. She shuddered at the implications of the scars, and tilted her head to the side as she marveled at the sight of him, and the unique chance of studying him in detail. And then the eyes slid open, and she found she couldn't take her eyes away from his unguarded gaze.

"Hey" It was pretty darn lame, but she couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Hey to you" Cracking his neck soundly, and then his back, he stood up and stretched lazily "Feeling better?"

"More like the mother of all hangovers is nestled in my temples" He walked towards her, sitting at the side of the bed, but not braking eye contact "You?"

"My back's felt better" She wondered why she wasn't demanding explanations yet, and let him rest his palm against her forehead "At least you don't have a fever anymore"

"Oh"

She watched him intently as he reached out for the cabinet next to the small bed and took a small bottle of pills and a glass of water. He dropped two into the water, and they started bubbling as the medicine dissolved, then he offered them to her.

"It'll make you feel better" His hand returned to her head, but this time to run against her hair in a soothing motion.

"Did…" _C'mon, ask. You're not feeling better until you know._ She looked down at her hands, neatly folded in her lap, as her voice wavered slightly "Did we-"

"No" He gave her a sardonic half smirk as she let out a relieved breath she hadn't known she was holding "Though not for your lack of trying" She blushed scarlet, embarrassed, but he shrugged, amused.

"Then what?" She looked away, as the pills started taking effect, and her vision cleared slightly "Tala?"

Looking down, she realized she was wearing _his_ shirt, and nothing else underneath. She moved away from his touch, eyes narrowing slightly, but he remained calm, watching her with a bemused light in his eyes.

"Before or after you threw up on my shoes?" He grinned as color reached the roots of her hair. Leaning in, he smirked as her breath hitched as their noses all but touched "Really Itza, if I can be allowed to say it, you have a talented mouth" He caught the hand that instinctively reached to slap him and his eyes flashed "Are you sober?"

"What?" Startled, her mind clouded slightly with his proximity.

"Answer damn it, are you sober?" There was a slight desperate tint in his voice that made her shiver.

"Yes" She wondered if he could hear her heart thumping in her ears.

"Are you awake?" The animalistic tone became more and more clear with every word he breathed, his face millimeters away from hers.

"Yes" She swallowed hard, unable to brake eye contact.

He smirked.

"Good"

And he leaned in to kiss her, pressing her lips against hers exactly like she had done to him in her drunken stupor the night before. Her lungs emptied with a low, traitorous moan that betrayed what she felt. Her hands grabbed his shoulders, but her first intention to push him away slowly faded from her mind as his tongue pressed against her lips, begging for entrance. His arms wrapped around her, pressing her flush against him in the same way she had done the night before. She gasped, overwhelmed by the feelings that mixed inside her, and he took the chance to slip his tongue into her mouth. The cold metal of the stud against her tongue brought back a new wave of memories of the night before, of his half hearted protests, his various attempts to regain control, and the unspoken wish to push things he kept in check at all times. Warmth spread through her, as she returned his kiss with fervor. She caught the small metal head of the stud with her teeth, and marveled at the heart felt groaned it evoked from him. One of her hands reached up to run over his hair, anchoring her further into the heated kiss, as he bit her lower lip, tugging it playfully. After what seemed an eternity, they broke apart. Breathing raged, their eyes met again.

Then Maritza slapped him, hard.

"Ow, what-"

And pulled him back to kiss him frenetically. He stifled a groan as she pushed against him, sparks of something primal hiding in her desperation. When they broke apart again, she hugged him tightly, shivering.

"God, I hate you"

The redhead blinked, bemused, as he wrapped his arms around her, running his hands over her back in what he hoped was a soothing motion. He smiled knowingly, reading well between the lines, and leaned in to nuzzle her neck.

"Do you?" The question made her tense, but the tone wasn't aggressive, just curious.

"You were supposed to stay away. _I_ was supposed to stay away" The motions in her back slowed into a lulling rhythm, and he maneuvered them until he was leaning against the wall "I don't want to hurt him again"

Tala reached a hand to brush the hair away from her eyes and forced her gently to look at him in the eye. Though he looked serious, his eyes were rather softened.

"Then don't" This time the kiss was softer, much tenderer, and the blond indulged in it.

Resting her head against his shoulder, she felt strangely small, yet perfectly safe within the redhead's embrace, she sighed. They stayed in silence, each one going through the unexpected turn of events, and the possible consequences it would have.

Tala was pretty sure Spencer was going to kill him as soon as he found out.

* * *

"Give it to them, they're patient" Ian pointed out with a half smirk, trying to sound optimistic.

"And they're quite deadly too, so shut up" Spencer, glaring, retorted looking quite grim "'Sides, optimistic comments don't really suit you or your family. Stick with unwanted sarcasm and piercing irony"

Ian was too busy holding back the door, to answer to that.

It was 8:00 am, the sun would be up soon, and they hadn't got a second of sleep since they had arrived and taken the faithful photo. They had been reduced to the bathroom, in a suicide maneuver of sliding under Bryan's legs. How had the two, otherwise silent and rather harmless, teens kept up all night (they arrived home at 2 am) and still were coherent enough to formulate plans and threats against them was a mystery.

"I hate my life"

* * *

"What are you doing?" Rinny's curious voice made the redhead smile.

"Contributing with Americans and their annoying imperialism in a common and lame way 'cause I'm lazy and not in the mood to prepare real food" He turned and marveled at the frown in the child's face as she tried to understand his words. Shaking his head, he snickered "I'm making pancakes for breakfast"

"Oh" The shorter redhead blinked, then frowned "Why didn't you just say so?"

"I…" He rolled his eyes "Never mind. Are you hungry runt?"

"Yes!"

Grabbing her from under her arms, he lifted her with ease and sat her in the counter, smirking amused at her rants. His back, despite the appearances, was killing him though, and he was pretty sure Bryan was going to have a nice afternoon cracking it. His bangs dripped still from his recent shower, and he indulged in the warmth of his plushy sweater, though Itza had laughed so hard at it, he was surprised they hadn't woken the others. The thought of the blond brought an amused smirk to his lips. Making a quick comparison, he couldn't find a thing she and Ruth had in common beyond sex and eye color, and he couldn't, for the life of him find out what exactly had called his attention in the blond. Well, what had in a _positive_ way. He was amused though, because she had thrown a fit shortly after their kissing session, when she figured out he had help her shower the night before, and had obviously seen her naked.

He thanked whatever force that had stopped him from arguing by mentioning his frequents ordeals with Lizeth. The mark on his cheek would still be bright red if he had.

"Hey again, bastard" The blond was already clad in her trademark jeans and an oversized baby blue sweater, smirking smugly from the doorframe.

"Hey back, _hypocrite _hag" The redhead made a point of narrowing his eyes at the offending piece of clothing, so similar to his own trademark purple sweater, it was ridiculous. She shrugged.

"The main difference, _love_, is that it looks good on me" As she gracefully slid into a chair, she rested her elbows on the table and her chin on her folded hands, giving him a 'I'm-right,-admit-it' look.

"Yeah right" Tala rolled his eyes, but slid a plate of pancakes in front of her. She rose an eyebrow.

"Are you aware you're contributing with American imperialism in a lame and common way, just 'cause you're too lazy and not in the mood to prepare real food?"

Tala stared at her blankly for a second, holding his and Rinny's plate midair, then, giving up, sat next to her and refrain to comment. Itza gave him a risen eyebrow, but bit back the sarcastic remark. They ate in relative silence, though they shared a few looks over the table. Rinny, for some reason, felt she was somewhat intruding, perhaps even not entirely welcome in the tense silence that stretched over the kitchen.

It was broken with Mel's gliding into the kitchen minutes later, though, a love sick look on her face as she entered the room, her feet practically not touching the ground. Tala and Itza sweatdroped.

"Ah" A sigh "Isn't it a wonderfully bright day?"

The other occupants of the kitchen turned their heads to the window, were the sun was starting to stretch over the horizon, casting a faint orange glow, almost ethereal, over the snow covered street. The sky was grey with rain clouds, though, and the magic effect from the sun got lost among the general dullness of the landscape.

The sweat drops got larger.

Tala stood and went to make Mel some pancakes, while the platinum blond freaked out the purple eyed girl with her giddiness. He sighed, looking out the window, wondering what his teammates were doing.

_Probably laying around, doing nothing… lucky bastards._

* * *

"Can't we _discuss_ this?" Ian whined like a child, never minding his protest fell on deaf ears.

"The more you wail, the more they enjoy it" Spencer hissed, looking stoic.

This was difficult considering they were tied to a tree, hanging about seven feet from the ground, soaked, sleep deprived and shivering from the cold. The fact that they had been stripped from all means of clothing beyond underwear (Lizeth was a lady, never mind the situation) didn't aid them or their confidence, particularly when their captors were looking up at them with smug, patient looks. Lizeth grinned like the cat that ate the pet canary.

"But Ian, we _are_ discussing this" She threw the branch from one hand to another "Each hit we make is like a subtle, subliminal demand set on your nervous system" Bryan snickered "And each and every pained sound of agony you make is an acceptance of our terms and a plea for mercy"

"Which makes us higher our demands given you're so… understanding" Bryan finished smirking, looking painfully innocent as he jammed a stick at them.

"For god's sake, you have the camera, you destroyed the film… goddamn it you tore, burnt and scattered the ashes, you have humiliated us enough! We get the idea, we'll stay away! Can you let us go now?" Ian sounded really pathetic, wailing pitifully.

"I hate to agree with his whining, but yeah" Spencer sighed "Guys really, my toes are freezing" Lizeth frowned slightly and shared a look with Bryan. He shrugged and she nodded "You know, I'm starting to really hate your couple-communication-abilities"

"Oh that's it, now you're staying there" Lizeth smirked as Ian kicked Spencer.

"Ow!"

"Hey!"

"Bye!" Bryan had the nerve to wave as they walked towards the cabin.

"If I could feel my hands, I would be choking you" Ian let his head hung, sighing.

"I hate my life"

* * *

"Ok, you're the last one" Tala sighed as he stopped in front of Itza's house, and got around to help her come down.

It was almost midday, and he had already dropped the others at their homes, but given he had promised he wouldn't take his eyes off Sarah and he needed to check on his team, he was taking her to the Center so they could eat together. He held the blond in a firm grip from her waist, and helped her down with ease. Rinny moved faster and jumped down before he could grab her, already running towards the house, laughing.

"So… thanks, you know, for everything" Itza scratched her cheek in a thoughtful manner "And yeah, you know"

"Yeah" Tala shrugged, suddenly at loss of what to say. It was obvious it was bothering her, and at some level it bothered him too, but he wasn't entirely sure of what exactly she wanted or needed to hear "Can we talk about this on Monday? I really need to check on the guys and… you know, team stuff"

In truth, he didn't give a flying fuck of what his team was doing, but he felt strangely uncomfortable, standing there in front of her house. She blinked, and shrugged.

"Sure" She smiled slightly, more like a small smirk "See you on Monday then, bastard"

"Heh, same thing, hag" He shrugged and walked back to the truck "Bye runt!" Rinny laughed, waving emphatically at him and Sarah.

He idly wondered why the otherwise insulting words felt strangely like nicknames.

"Bye Itza, bye Rinny" Sarah smiled brightly as Tala got on the car "See you on Monday!"

Itza watched the truck go, turning on a corner, and wondered why she felt something akin to jealousy as Sarah turned to chat cheerfully with the redhead. _He seems to like her a lot, though… perhaps because she's gentler? Oh come out of it, Maritza, gentle's not half of it. You're loud, sarcastic, biting, retorting and in much ways lot less feminine than Sarah. Of course he likes her a lot. _Itza sulked, it was a lost battle from the start to compete against the taller, silver eyed girl. She was classy in her own, traditional way and she was sure that if it weren't for the fact she was very obviously blinded by Karen, Tala would have already made his move on her.

That, for a some reason, depressed her a lot.

"Sis?" The blond blinked as Rinny pulled her sleeve "C'mon, I want you to help me with my homework!"

Smiling, the violet eyed girl followed her sister inside, though her heart felt a lot heavier than when she woke up.

_This' just nonsense._

* * *

To say Tala was flagbastered when he found Ian and Spencer would be an understanding. To say he was amused at the cynism displayed by Lizeth and Bryan, would be redundant. But what freaked him out was the fact it confirmed his suspicions.

"I'm officially babysitting a team of reckless children" He mused out loud as Lizeth and Bryan got dressed and Ian and Spencer took a shower. _If they get sick, those two are taking care of them._

"Oh, but don't you just adore them?" Sarah grinned, eyes alight with mischief as she sat primly, legs crossed at her ankles, at the other side of the coffee table. He rolled his eyes.

"Yes, it's my only wish and desire to spend the rest of my existence babysitting someone's children" He gave her a black stare, and she had the nerve to giggle.

"And here I was thinking it was to figure out Itza, inside out" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and Tala blushed slightly, spluttering.

"_What?_" He mentally congratulated himself for that indignant tone, despite he could feel color spreading down his neck.

"Oh c'mon now" She leaned in, smirking slightly, eyes alight with mirth "You know you can tell me, right?"

"There's… we… arg! Damn you woman!" Sarah laughed quietly as the blush broke free while the redhead fumbled for an explanation.

He settled for a death glare.

"Can we go eat please?" Ian asked shivering, despite the fact he was wearing one of Tala's thickest jackets, as he walked out of their room. Spencer, behind him, sneezed.

"Yeah, c'mon, I'm starving" Tala stretched like a cat and motioned Sarah to follow.

The redhead forgot all about Sarah and her questions as he moved around his teammates pretty much like a mother hen. He scolded and glared at Bryan and Lizeth, who looked mildly guilty, and rushed Ian and Spencer into the eating lounge. He took time to look at Sarah, who was talking quietly with Lizeth and Bryan, carefully though. She was another girl he could compare Itza with, and he was not ignorant of the fact she was much more like Ruth. _But you don't want Ruth or someone like her anymore, do you? You want the loudmouthed brat, admit it._ He shut the little annoying voice with a slight huff. He ran his eyes over Sarah again, and sighed. She was wearing a long denim skirt, as usual, and a white, long sleeved blouse with a denim vest. Her hair was pulled back into a high pony tail, her stubborn bangs framing her eyes. He knew she looked good, hell, he could _see_ why Karen stumbled through his words every time she was present, but for him it was just… _Not Itza. Heh, well look at this, seems someone's lovesick… again. _He sulked, feeling his left eyebrow twitch at the annoying voice, and not for the first time, wondered about his sanity.

"Red, hurry up!" He blinked, realizing he was falling back, and nodded as he caught up with Ian and Spencer.

_I've said it before, I'll say it again. Girls are nuts._

* * *

The man watched the map with a malicious sneer. There were some red marks on it, recently made, and a large black pin in a small spot in the middle of nowhere. Logobo Volka.

"Sir… everything's ready, we are set to leave when you order us to" The man turned to face the white clad soldier and nodded, waving a hand dismissingly.

"Perfect. Tell the others to be ready, we'll leave soon" The soldier nodded and left, bowing slightly.

The tall man turned back to the map and the various cutouts in the wall. His eyes fell on a faded old photograph of a redhead child, looking up at the camera with bright blue eyes and the man felt something within him stir and crack. Suddenly his head felt like it was about to explode, and he leaned against the wall, a hand rubbing his temples. Opening his eyes again, he settled them on the child. His eyes were warm, as welcoming as the man knew his own had been once, but bitterness made its way into him again, and he felt his remorse dying away slowly. As his eyes froze over again, he ripped the photograph away, but stopped seconds from tearing it apart. Instead, he ran his thumb over the child's face, remembering the day it had been snapped. His eyes lighted up slightly at the faint memory.

_"You know Boss, maybe this wasn't such a bad idea" The child allowed himself to grin faintly, looking up at him, not fearfully, but still keeping his feelings in check "Kai's face was worth it"_

_He was finishing packing his stuff, when the photograph fell from the suitcase. He reached out quickly to get it, but he was too slow, and the man already had it in his hand. The child bowed his head, as if he had committed a crime and expected the man to get angry. Instead, he set his eyes on the bowed head, doubting for a moment._

_"May I keep this?" He smirked as the boy looked up, awed at the lack of biting in the man's tone, and nodded vigorously._

_"O-of course sir" The man shook his head at the child's sudden nervousness._

_"Oh go bother that team of yours, why don't you? I've got better things to do than to watch you stutter all day long" The child bit back a squeak, and scurried away from the elder's piercing gaze._

_The man looked at the photograph again, and unseen by anyone, smiled._

Shaking his head out of the sudden melancholic air that settled around him, he growled, throwing the photograph away.

"They deserve it. All of them" He glared at the various photographs of the boys, but his gaze fell on the redhead again "Even you"

For a strange reason, ever to himself, it sounded false.

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_Yep, this' gonna be Tala/Itza… fooled you there for a moment, didn't I? Heh, you'll see why Sarah wouldn't have worked well, in Tala's own words, next chapter. Anyway, don't you love Lizeth and Bryan and their evil plans? Heh, adorable. And Tala's getting thoughtful… O.o guess everything's possible._

_If you so you wish, please review._


	13. Chapter Thirteen

_(A/N) Character development chapter, expect the unexpected! (I've always wanted to say that…) Actually, there's just a lot of the needed in-depth of the main characters (coughItzacoughTalacoughLizethcoughBryan) and this will hopefully finish dispelling the Mary-Sue-ish stigma on Itza… she's not a true Sue, honest!_

_…why do I even bother? Just read this already:huffs:_

_Oh and for those who haven't, you should really go read "**Prison Walls**" and "**Our Last Night**", it'll explain quite a lot about the upcoming chapters… Reviews on those works are really welcomed, too…_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, but I own plot and OC._

* * *

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Thirteen, Consequences of Domestication._**

She woke up earlier than usual. It was a Sunday, and no one woke up early in the cabin on Sundays. As predicted, Ian and Spencer had caught a slight cold for hers and Bryan's antics, but she didn't feel all that guilty about them. Her eyes settled on the window, where the sky was still dark, the stars glimmering high above them. She shrugged Bryan's arms off her, and slid out of bed silently, careful of not waking him. He curled instinctively at the lack of warmth, and her eyes softened. The pale light of the dying moon spilled over him, making his unnatural pale hair glow with an almost ethereal tint. He looked peaceful, relaxed… almost innocent. She resisted the urge to run a hand over his bangs in fear of waking him, but contented herself with a smile. If she had been told a few months earlier that she would willingly share a bed with a male, she would have laughed or snapped, but now… Shaking her head to clear herself from her musings, she walked towards her trunk and pulled out two very specific pieces of clothing. She threw on the clingy shirt and the loose pants, feeling strangely disgusted because they left her back bared. If she were to use this cloths for something else than what she had in mind, she knew she would look like a whore. The white, turtle necked, silk blouse tied at the base of her neck, and then down almost at her waist, leaving her back exposed. The black pants were loose at the ankles, yet they fit her tights like a second skin, and fell snuggly to her hips, leaving her navel in plain sight. She brushed her hair, but did not braid it, letting it flow down her shoulders like slightly curled onyx snakes. She glanced back at the window, the sky was still dark. Her eyes drifted lower, towards Bryan, and she found him still sound asleep. The light in her eyes dimmed.

"If only you knew…" Shaking her head from her musings she slid out of the room, her bare feet making no sound against the wooden floor.

She closed the door silently and hold her breathing, straining to listen to the sounds in the small cabin. Silence. Moving with graceful steps, she walked out of the cabin, not minding the chill of the winds hitting her bare arms, or the cold snow against her feet. She walked decidedly, knowing exactly where she was going, not once looking back. Her hair danced with the wind, long tendrils of black that enveloped and leaved somewhat a trail behind her.

If you watched closely enough, though, you could see the faint red glow around her.

* * *

He made absolutely no sound at all as he followed her. His eyes narrowed in concern as he saw her stalk purposely, not even caring about the harsh climate. Her foot prints got deeper and deeper into the snow, but he noticed they were fogged, as if the snow melted when she stepped on it. He wasn't wearing a lot of clothing either, just a pair of jeans he had thrown on before following her, but the cold didn't affect him, nor did the razor wind against his bare chest or arms. The sapphire that hung from his neck glowed faintly.

Winter was his domain, after all.

He followed her until she reached a slight peak, formed by eons of the river flowing. She stood at the very edge, the wind blowing harshly, making her hair dance behind her like tendrils of black snakes. Many feet below, the dark waters flowed harshly, smashing against the various rock formations, the sound reaching them faintly. The reddish glow brightened as she opened her arms, spreading them as if to embrace something, then she let herself fall into the abyss.

"Shit!" He hissed in panic as he ran towards the edge, but was mesmerized by the sight that greeted him.

As she fell two powerful red, bat like wings forced themselves out from her bare back. They were rough and reptilian in shape, large and strong. They caught the upcoming winds and lifted her lithe frame with ease. She flapped them with practiced grace, arms loosely at her sides as she hovered around the frozen currents.

The redhead watched her from the peak, amused smirk tugging at his lips as he bit back a laugh.

"Well, that explains a lot" He mused out loud, and sat on the edge, feet hanging down as he patiently waited for her to acknowledge him.

She had a lot of explaining to do.

* * *

She moved with practiced ease in a complex mix of strength, grace and concentration. Every jump and every twist, the way her body flowed like water through a current as she followed the rhythmic clapping, the way her limbs seemed to know what came next, even before she realized it. It was freedom in its purest form, with quite the primitive undertone. As she finished the routine, falling down in one knee, the other leg stretched behind her, the clapping stopped. Her breathing was raged and her whole frame was shaking with the energy released.

"Good, your sense of balance has improved greatly" Fryedka's soft words of encouragement were ignored though, as the lithe blond walked towards her water bottle, drinking half of it down in one go.

Itza gave the tall man a leveled, distrustful glare as he moved towards her, smiling. It was not that Fryedka was repulsing, physically or otherwise, in fact, she knew he was admired by many. He was massively tall, so much, she barely reached his waist, even with her high heels, and had shoulder length pale blue hair, almost white, as well as the most expressive green eyes Itza had ever seen. He was muscled, as all athletes were, and despite the rough appearance his size and worked out body gave him, he was a gentle soul.

What disgusted her was the fact he always tried his damn hardest to act like her father.

Like now, tipping her in ways to improve her style, how to change her angles slightly… he _was_ her trainer, but he did so in such a soft way, his gentle nature coming out to play with ease. She absolutely hated that he was right. Looking up at him, she huffed.

"I'll try again then" And walked to the corner of the marked square on the floor.

"Why don't we take breakfast first?" His eyes were soft as he smiled kindly at her "You've been working on this for two hours already. Working so much without eating isn't healthy Itza"

"Fine… And my name is _Maritza_" She grounded her teeth in annoyance, but walked towards the bench where she had thrown her stuff earlier and slid a jacket over her leotard.

"Put on some pants too, please. It started snowing again" The gigantic albino requested softly, looking down at his petite student with slightly worry.

"Pah" Throwing on the matching pants, Itza grumbled as she walked out of the room, not bothering to wait for Fryedka.

The tall man watched her go, eyes downcast, and heaved a deep sigh.

* * *

"Tala! What… I…"

The redhead smirked as the black haired teen landed, the impressive wings folding at her back. Her whole body trembled with fear as the impassive blue eyes were fixed on her. He shrugged, but noticed faintly that her nails had elongated into talons.

"Hush you" He shook his head, amused "I knew there was much more to your bound with Sherak that only sharing the injuries, but this… well, it's rather unexpected" He smiled though, walking towards her "What are you afraid of?"

She looked away, folding the offending wings even more tightly, as if trying to hide them, and crossed her arms, almost hugging herself. _What are you afraid of?_ When she escaped the cabin each month or so, spreading her wings to the wind, falling into the abyss, feeling the adrenaline of the danger… it made her mind clear and flooded with a sense of newfound calm she couldn't find elsewhere. It was, in a sense, addictive.

And she absolutely loathed herself for it.

"I'm not afraid" Her mumbled reply sounded false even to her own ears.

"Then look at me when I'm talking to you" Tala smiled, placing his hands on her shoulders. She shivered "You have nothing to be ashamed of, you know? This is rare, but in a sense, to be expected, natural even"

"Are you mocking me?" She stepped back, away from his touch, giving him an incredulous look. There was slight hurt in her voice "I've got fucking _wings_, how the hell is this _natural_?"

"First of all, because you guard a sacred spirit" Tala shrugged "People who guard them, and who develop strong conexion with them, like you did with Sherak, tend to change, physically and mentally" He blinked, numbering with his fingers "Second, 'cause I personally think they fit you… and third, 'cause you look rather cute with them, and I'm sure Bryan would agree with me on that"

"Hey!" He snickered and dodged a mean left hook, noticing the red tint on her cheeks.

Catching her hand, he pulled her against his chest, hugging her. She froze as a hand came up to her head, his fingers running through her hair, soothingly. _Maya used to do that…_ The train of thought startled her, as she pushed back slightly. The hand in her hair ran through the side of her face, caressing it softly, and help her tilt her chin upwards, so she looked at him in the eye.

"Dragons are very special creatures, you know?" His eyes were soft, like pools of clear water in a pond "You should be proud of being bounded to one"

"Tala" The soft whisper startled, her face heating slightly at the unusual praise. He leaned in and kissed her forehead in a brotherly fashion.

"Come home when you feel better" He let go of her and smiled again, tilting his head to the side slightly "I'm sure I can come up with a few good excuses for your absence… after all…"

The glow of the pendant in his neck caught her attention, it sparkled with the same hidden power his eyes did, but all in all, it was warm, welcoming. His smile softened.

"Dragons are elusive creatures"

And he stepped back into the ring of the forest, disappearing from view.

"Tala!" She ran, shaken out of her trance, but all she could see were the branches of the trees, softly swung by the frozen winds.

She smiled as the winter breeze caressed her skin with its ghostly touch.

"No… Wolves are…"

Laughing softly, like she hadn't done since she was all too very little, she ran towards the cliff, jumping again and stretching the powerful wings on her back.

_Perhaps you're not as lonely as you like to believe, young one._

For the first time in years, she didn't shun away the voice in the back of her head; instead, she smiled.

* * *

She sat on her bed, hugging her knees tightly to her chest. She looked down at the photographs on the side, and smiled thinly, sadly. The first one was of her and Spencer when they were younger, she was clinging from his arm, laughing at something stupid he said about her hair, while he wore a slightly exasperated expression. She reached out for the photograph and ran her fingers over the smooth surface. _You used to tell him everything…_ She sighed, leaving it down and taking the other one.

It was of a man, an average looking man, with sandy blond hair that feel in disarray over his brow, framing brilliant crimson eyes. His smile was cheerful, alive. He carried a young girl in his arms, and the girl was smiling too. The girl had a blue balloon on her right hand, which was swept away by the soft breeze. It had been taken in her eight year birthday party, she recalled faintly. She was Rinny's age at that time, only two months before he left them for good. She guessed the reason her mother was so intolerant, to put it somehow, with them was how each of them had taken after their fathers, instead of her. She could recognize many character traits of her father in herself, sadly, most of them were negative ones, and Rinny was a smaller, petite version of Fryedka. Her eyes darkened at that last thought, and she brushed it aside. Rinny did not know, and if she had anything to do with it, would _never_ know that Fryedka was not _her_ father, and that rather than full sisters, they were half. She wasn't entirely sure of how the small redhead would take it, and she wasn't willing to take that risk.

"I'm a fucked up bitch" She mused with despair, looking out the window. Outside, again, it was snowing.

She scowled when that made her think of Tala, and at the same time of Sarah, which just plain depressed her, making her already sour mood even worse. Sarah was a classy, traditional girl. She had a unique style and a soft hearted personality that no one could really hate, trying to always look out at the brighter side for the welfare of others. In retrospective, Itza knew herself to be rather selfish, hotheaded and stubborn. She liked things going her way, and she made it an art to shatter people's illusions and hopes when they got in her way. She was resentful and at times even bitter, and damn it, she knew, at some subconscious level, that Tala deserved someone better. She wasn't sure they would be able to try out a relationship after almost a month fighting by the smallest of things, and she had said pretty mean things she didn't really feel. Not for the first time, she felt cold inside, silently regretting her past actions as she looked at what she had become. It wasn't that she had committed terrible deeds, or that she had gone through horrible times… just… that whatever situation she had come to face, whether it was threatening or inviting, she took it offensively, aggressively. As if by some reason she didn't, it would be a lost chance. That particular attitude towards life had costed her many friendships in the past, and despite having tried, she knew she just couldn't get rid of the character flaw.

It was probably going to doom her, albeit small, chances with a long term relationship with the redhead, she just knew it.

Looking at the dress she had wore at the ball, her brow burrowed. Well, she _had_ changed, and she was starting to make new friends, _real_ friends, but… goodness, she felt like she had to be on guard, ready to suppress any form of aggression against others… It was making her even more volatile than usual. And it sucked, 'cause for once she actually liked the people she was spending time with. Here at Logobo Volka, people were simple, things were straight and there were no prejudice or double meanings with others. They were people that lived in a harsh land and needed of each other to survive, they didn't have time for petty intrigues the city people loved. And that made her feel more comfortable, because here she wasn't a top athlete with 5 years of trajectory behind her. She wasn't the heir to a considerable fortune, nor she was a star student. She was just another blond in the streets, another lively teen looking up for something to lighten up the dull atmosphere. Most importantly, she was just… normal. And despite the fact each and every new friend she had made had serious character flaws… Mel's arachnophobia, Celeste's photographic obsession, Derrick's sleeping disorders, Irina's diabetes, Ian's tics, Bryan's isolative personality, Lizeth's standoffish attitude, Karen's mood swings (why was the blunette suddenly in the classification of _friend_ was a mystery and she didn't stop to ponder it), the list went on and on… they were essentially normal teens trying to work out a decent future for themselves. It irked her, 'cause never before had she considered herself that, _normal._ She had spent the last seventeen years of her life jumping from one training center to another, trying to please her over demanding mother's standards, working like a bookworm to maintain an almost perfect grading where school was concerned and being brainwashed into a suitable aristocrat figure. That left little time to socialize with others, and to shape herself into what she would like to be. Meeting Spencer was the one mayor highlighting to her life, and being introduced to Beyblading. Her mother absolutely hated it, considering a sport for commoners and not fit for someone her social rank. But she loved it, it made her feel alive in ways gyms or her violin couldn't, it was a strange feeling of belonging and of acceptance. It annoyed her, though, that Dagger had been yet another present from Fryedka, but she could not turn her back on the lightening fox for that simple fact. She still had the mirror, which had housed the sacred spirit for generations, hidden in one of her drawers, never to be used, or even touched. Silver was not her style, anyway.

Glancing at the purple Beyblade in her nightstand, she let out a long sigh and laid back, stretching in bed. Her lips tinged with the memory of the kiss… _series of kisses_, she had shared with the redhead the day before, and she had to wonder if it affected him as much as it did to her. He had been aroused, that was for sure, but he was _male_ and a _teenager_ for crying out loud. Experience had taught her that particular species was aroused ninety-nine percent of the time. And well, she had been too, but that wasn't the point. She brushed aside the connotations of the physical impulses she had felt the day before, not willing to dwell into a loosing battle with herself. What bothered her was the fact she had started it, and when she had been drunk, to add to it.

She knew she was attracted to him, of that much she was sure. But that wasn't accurate enough, the redhead was handsome, one would need to be blind not to acknowledge it, but there was much more to him. He intrigued her. There was a quality to his personality that she had never encountered before. Her Grandmother's balls attracted many wealthy, proper, handsome, prince-styled boys that had tried to court her on many occasion, but all of them paled in comparison with the redhead's natural charisma. It was as if he could brighten or darken a room with a word or a gesture, depending on the intension he took. He treated everyone as an individual, adapting himself to deal with each different situation, yet never losing that unidentifiable part of himself that was _Tala_. She had seen him fight with Karen, and despite being biteful and acid, there was an aristocrat touch to his attacks. Graceful even. And there were those rare moments with Sarah, soft smiles and quiet laughs, and yet again his personality seemed to morph and still be the same. _He's just… _

She let out a huff in annoyance, she couldn't even phrase it. Passionate was the closest she could manage. At least their interaction had always been so.

That was another thing that caught her attention. The redhead never backed down, never mind how harsh the insult was, or how twisted the situation looked. He took it all head on, pretty much like she did, the main difference being how willing was the redhead to always calculate the effect of his words on others, while she had troubles keeping her emotions under control and undeniably ended up hurting people's feelings. The redhead showed a collected temper where she lost control, arrogant indifference where she showed seething rage. It both, intrigued her and ashamed her, that he would have such a steel control over himself, even in the most extreme situations. She had been raised to be a proper aristocrat, to show of her worth as if she was some kind of display doll, and she knew she was mentally and emotionally mature enough to deal with that kind of situation, but when faced off the redhead…

She groaned.

It was like walking against a wall. She couldn't just puzzle out what made the redhead thick, and it was annoying the living daylights out of her. Frowning, she twisted her lips into a slight grimace, not looking forward to talking to him the next day. She just wasn't ready to try and sort out what she felt, though one thing was clear, she _wanted_ to start something with redhead, regardless of what.

She had no idea the mess she was getting herself into.

* * *

Lizeth took a deep breath before entering the cabin, steadying her heart and returning her breathing to normal. As she slid inside, she found the redhead reading, stretched on the loveseat, looking particularly relaxed, as if a great burden had been taken off his shoulders. Blue eyes lifted to greet her, and he smirked.

"They went to eat" He told her softly, eyes alight with mirth "Take a bath and come sit with me, will you?"

It was a request, but Lizeth felt the need to comply. Nodding, she slid into hers and Bryan's room, intent on taking a shower and set things right with the supporting redhead. She hadn't given it much thought until now, but it was really the redhead who had been most understanding with her, even if they weren't exactly best of friends. As she slid into the bathroom, she saw him return to his book, eyes sliding avidly through the pages. She idly reminded herself to ask him the title of the book later. She stripped and stepped under the warm spray, her tense muscles loosening as she allowed herself to relax, her thoughts clearing slightly.

Yes, Tala had been special, and she couldn't deny there was a sort of sisterly affection towards him. It was strange though, but the redhead inspired trust naturally, even when he was being his standoffish, sarcastic, bastard-like self. He had a gift of understanding and acceptance, which she thought was unique, considering where he came from. Bryan didn't speak of the Abby a lot, but in the rare occasions he did, it had been in short, bitter ways. It couldn't be a nice place, she reasoned, if it had left Bryan with so many psychological scars. She frowned, running her fingers through her hair.

Actually, _all_ of them bored psychological scars, some deeper, some fainter, but they were always present. The clearest ones were in Bryan. His silent nature, impassive and unenthusiastic about everything. There was a melancholic quality to his personality, as if he were forever mourning someone dear, and yet blaming himself for whatever happened. Then there was Ian, who couldn't stay put for more than two minutes without getting anxious. It was strange though, she had noticed the short teen had a very pleasing nature under the whole _I'm-annoying-as-hell_ thing. Quite fun to spend time with, too, she mused. Of the four of them, it was Ian who she related the most, and to whom she shared things in the less romantic sense. They had a sort of silent agreement, in which they spoke of anything and everything, just as it came, without anything of it ever reaching someone else. It was a good venting and a relaxing situation for both, although she knew it was strange, in the sense they really didn't have all that much in common. But you couldn't really talk to Bryan.

She would know, she had tried. Many, many times.

And there was Spencer, she mused as she washed away her hair, who, if she were completely honest, scared the living daylights out of her. The way his eyes glinted with secret knowledge, and the fact she knew him to be downright evil at some things. Like when he deliberately spoke in half sentences so other people would completely misunderstand what he intended to say, get into a riot while he watched amusedly from the side lines with that annoying _'not-my-fault-they're-idiots'_ face. It irked her and terrified her at the same time, that a single individual could have so much power over people…

Shuddering, she closed the tap, stopping the warm spray over her and reached for a towel. Finally, there was Tala, but that was just a bigger puzzle to solve. It was strange, the redhead had a sixth sense to people, it was as if he instantly knew of their intentions and he acted accordingly, every time. On the other hand, she had seen people fall to his natural charm, trusting him despite the odds. She had felt it too, a strange warm feeling that beckoned you to trust him, it came from the depths of his eyes… and what kind of eyes he had, she mused with a grin. So expressive one moment, frozen over the next. It was amusing to watch them change, swirling with different emotions as he faced of a vast range of situations. The other three she had figured out fairly well, but Tala was… strange. Ever since that freaky incident in Krystal's office, an air of melancholy hung around him, even at his merriest times. His laughter was heard on various occasions… but the light never quite reached his eyes. She idly wondered why, then promptly scowled at her nosiness, _Ian's rubbing too much on me,_ and dressed accordingly.

As she walked out of the bathroom, she found him exactly as she left him, with his nose buried deep into his book. Again she wondered what reading was so entrancing, to entertain him in such a way.

"Feeling better?" There was a strange softness in his voice that wasn't previously there, but she didn't make much of it, instead, she nodded.

She sat opposite from him, and watched as he placed an old card as marking, laying the book carefully on the table. He looked relaxed, and considering the situation, it intrigued her.

"You're taking this mess quite calmly" She noted with some bluntness, the redhead shrugged "Why?"

"I'm quite a freak myself" She winced at his wording, but knew him to be joking "It'd be rather hypocrite of me to act otherwise" At her startled blink, he snickered "There's a whole lot more about sacred spirits that most people realize, but you're lucky and are sitting in front the one bastard that knows the most about them"

"Modest" She couldn't hold back the scratching comment, while she gave her a half lidded unamused stare.

"Perhaps not, but it's true" He seemed more at ease with her, and it bothered her at some subconscious level "Let me tell you a little secret, my family has been guarding the winter spirit for more than twelve generations, and we've learn quite a lot about them in that time" She blinked, brow furrowing with both curiosity and awe "What you display is merely a side effect of your closeness with the spirit you control"

"But you are closer to your spirits, and yet you don't show this kind of thing" Her countering had logic, and she tilted her head to the side, curiously.

"Oh, but we do" He shrugged "You see, when you take over a sacred spirit for so long as we have, you're bound to change. Deeply. The most common thing that happens, and I mean common among the uncommon, are the elementals" He shrugged slightly, and she scowled when she realized he was talking to her as if she were a small child. He ignored her slight tantrum "Elementals take their spirits' based power and eventually learn to control it as their own. I say they are common, because it's the easiest bound. It touches the soul of the spirit and the guardian, but it does not go beyond" He leaned in, eyes glinting with amusement "And then there are those like you, in which the bound stretches into your body, making you share and display physical characteristics of your spirit. Wings and claws in your case, but I've seen ears, tails, eyes… It just depends on how deep your bound is, and what type of beast you control"

"You've _seen_?" She blinked curiously, processing the information with no little relieve.

"Did you saw the last Beyblade championships?" The question sounded completely off topic, but she nodded "There was a team participating, the Asians, do you remember them?" Another nod "They are like you" A disbelieving stare, and a chuckle from the redhead "They come from a secluded tribe, hidden in the old mountains in China. They have guarded the feline sacred spirits for so long that the physical manifestations became hereditary for them, now they're known as neko-jins, as they resemble the powerful feline spirits they guard"

"The kid that beated Bryan… he's one of them, isn't he?"

"Yep, and it's precisely why he won" Lizeth seemed puzzled, but the redhead merely shrugged "You're not supposed to know, and I'm not supposed to tell, but we are not blading with _our_ bit beasts, but rather ones BioVolt made based off the originals" She blinked, startled "I resented the lack of faith my former employer had in my sacred spirit and my abilities, but it was Bryan who took it the hardest. Cylah held a very special meaning to him, and Falborg is just a cheap replacement to what is rightfully his. Thus, he could not win when he did not trust his blade enough. Kon, while foolish and pathetic in his attempts, pressed all his faith into the white tiger, and it paid off rather well"

"So you're trying to tell me you lost because you weren't using your own bit beast?" She raised an eyebrow curiously, trying to keep her swirling thoughts in check.

To her utter surprise, the redhead's face darkened and his eyes froze.

"I lost because I was meant to lose"

Realizing she had touched a sore spot, she tried to amend her mistake, but the redhead had already stalked away, the leather bound book forgotten in the table. The black haired female sat back, feeling strangely comforted by the redhead's explanations… but his behavior worried her.

_What do you hide so thoroughfully, Tala, that you won't even let yourself accept it?_

* * *

As he entered the cabin, his brow furrowed. It was dead silent, and neither Tala or Lizeth seemed to be in it. It worried him that the black haired female had started skipping meals again, since that made her more propane to suffer the seizures, but it was strange that the redhead wasn't there. As he closed the door behind him, he shrugged off the heavy jacket, shivering slightly from the cold, and decided to sleep the day away. He had nothing better to do anyway, and it was too damn cold outside to think about blading. He did check the redhead's room first, wanting to be sure he wasn't ill… and held back a snicker as that reminded him of Spencer's puffy eyes and Ian's red nose (what was that crappy Christmas beast Americans had with the red nose called again? Ralph, Reldph, Rudolph… yeah, he looked like that…). Finding the room as an utter mess of cloths, papers and general crap, he twisted his lips in disgust and mentally thanked the powers above for having the easy chores around the cabin, like keeping the door snow less or sweeping the living room. It was not that he was a neat freak, he had his own world of disaster in his trunk, but sharing a room with a female made him a lot more self-conscious of just were he chose to drop his cloths when he went to sleep. It just wouldn't do to leave his underwear everywhere, would it? Shuddering at the mental image, he slid into the bathroom, intent on washing his face, take a piss and go back to sleep. He wasn't even hungry, his slow metabolism letting him stay long periods of time without eating. As he entered the room, he rolled his eyes. Lizeth had taken a bath, that much was clear, long tendrils of black fixed on the ceramic floor, standing out brightly against the white floor. He twisted his mouth in distaste, rolling his eyes… but then he smirked remembering _Ian_ was in charge of cleaning the bathroom. Shaking his head from his musings, and going on with his business, he idly wondered were his Wench could be.

_His_ Wench?

Bryan groaned. _Stupid, useless, senseless, mushy, romantic crap… now I'm starting to act like Tala had around Ruth._ He shuddered at the implications, and the silver earring in his left earlobe reminded him of what foolishness came with tender emotions. Tala had it worst, he mused, shrugging as he slid out of the bathroom and towards his room, remembering the disgusting green thing that had plastered to the redhead's eyebrow for almost a month. Now _that_ made him smirk, Boris grimace at the sight and Tala's miserable whines had been certainly worth the annoyance of the silver ring that now adorned his left ear. Besides, he was now used to it, and it wasn't as intrusive as Tala's… _At least I'm not a stuttering idiot like Ian around Mel…_

Unfortunately that was about to change as he opened the door of his room, and stood frozen in the doorway.

There she lay, outstretched on her, _their_, bed, wearing only an oversized white t-shirt that slipped down her right shoulder, leaving the pale skin in view. The cabin was small enough, so that with the fireplace roaring as it was, it felt warm in all the small space. She was comfortable with the temperature, as she slept over the covers, her legs half folded, faint scars standing up against her pale skin, probably from reckless running through the woods as a child, since he could certainly think of her as that. When he got over the shock of the display, sensual and innocent at the same time, he slid to her side, laying beside her careful of not waking her. A soft smile tugged at his lips as she instinctively curled around him, resting her head on his shoulder. He took a deep breath, her scent clinging to his nose deliciously. She smelled of spicy cinnamon and something wild, like the fresh ashes of a dying ember, and it was intoxicating and calming at the same time. His thoughts drifted to her as he relaxed, trying to seek sleep.

He knew little about her, of her past anyway, and of how she had come to be what she was. But he knew _her_, the strength that hid behind the onyx cut eyes, the inner grace that followed her every move, the life held behind the sparkle of her smile. Yes, he knew her well, but the question remained, did _she_ knew _him_ well enough? It was what bothered him, she seemed content in his presence, but to what extent did she understood who he was?

_Understandment won't give you love, Bryan, it'll start a war against your own heart._

Shaking his head from his musings, he frowned as he remembered Opal's words. Training his face into a scowl, he wondered why the memory of his sister haunted him in such moments. As his scowl deepened, the Wench seemed to sense his discomfort, since she snuggled more against him. Sighing in defeat, he surrendered to sleep and chose not to worry himself with useless thoughts.

Still, images of the long haired, pale woman that called herself his sister plagued his dreams, filling him with a sense of dread.

* * *

The ball had changed many things, Tala realized as he entered the classroom. Tension between the Shrimps had lessened into a sort of playful bickering as Mel discovered Ian was really easy to confuse when it came to matters of the heart, and rarely lost a chance to make him stutter or splutter. Bryan and Lizeth were at ease with each other, as usual, though he noted with some amusement that the black haired female developed a tendency of looking at him when she thought he wasn't watching and that got on Bryan's nerves. The pale teen had been acting a bit more protective of her, too, the redhead mused inwardly with a slight grin. Sarah was, quoting her, making the sun look dull. Her smile had brightened considerably, as had the light in her eyes, and it made him wonder. It was Spencer that worried him, though, and his situation with Itza… He had given it a lot of thought during the weekend, and he figured it was worth a try to start a steady relationship with the blond. He figured that if he could talk things straight with Spencer he should be able to retain their friendship… and all his body parts… intact. He let out a sigh, and then the door opened and Itza entered and there was an awkward moment as they both looked at each other, not entirely sure of what they were going to say or do.

Mr. Goutarevsk entered the classroom, breaking the tense silence and lifting the spirits in the room.

Well, that and the fire bucket falling on Tala's head again, soaking him to the bone.

He clenched his teeth in annoyance as he pulled out a towel out of his bag (after a month, he had learnt to take precautions), glaring daggers at the sheepish looking blond. Mr. Goutarevsk scowled.

"Good graces, can't anyone do a proper job anymore?" He huffed with slight annoyance "Tala, would you please move next to Irina? I'll see what I can do about that stubborn thing…" The redhead complied, muttering darkly under his breath as the purple haired girl snickered "Alright, make my day brighter and tell me that between the excitement of your teenager hormones you _did_ read the chapter for today…"

Tala drowned the man's voice and sighed, flash of annoyance long gone, instead replaced by the dooming knowledge he would have to face the volatile blond sooner or later.

_Maybe I'll finally figure out how the hell she does that…_

Sulking miserably, he set for one boring History lesson, as the dark haired teacher scold them for not reading.

* * *

Sarah blinked as she tried to catch up with Tala, straining herself to match the redhead's furious pace. She wondered what had pissed him off so. Indeed the redhead stalked ahead of her, a dull anger glowing faintly in his eyes as he neared the restaurant. He hoped he could just spend the afternoon drowning in his work, not willing to think about the awful day.

He and Itza had tried, several times, to talk to each other, but every time they had been alone, someone bursted in and interrupted. First had been Valkov, intent on knowing if Tala would help with the annual school play. The redhead had masked his obvious discomfort in the presence of the hyper man, and dismissingly accepted the offer. By the time he was through the effeminate monstrosity, though, Itza was already gone. Later on it had been Spencer, Sarah, Karen, Lizeth, _Tatiana_… it seemed everyone in the school had a pending affair with either of them, and it was irritating to say the least. Entering the restaurant and heading directly into his little corner of heaven, alias the kitchen, he threw his schoolbag under the sink, not really caring about it. Ma raised an eyebrow at the redhead's gloomy behavior, the other reaching its twin when Sarah entered, her breathing raged. The older woman furrowed her brow, and ordered Tala to work while Sarah went to bathe. The redhead was annoyed and frustrated, the matron noticed easily, but he seemed determinate on not letting it show on his job. He worked harder than usual, though he felt stiff and annoyed. In the end, Anastasia had taken pity on the teen's annoyance and had let him off the hook almost two hours earlier than usual, the sun still shinning in the distance.

"You know, he's kinda cute when he's growling" Sarah mused with a grin as they watched the sulky teen walk away. Ma snorted.

"More so than Karen?" It was rhetoric, though there was a hopeful tint under the question.

"Ma!" Sarah's undignified squeak was an answer on it's own.

The old woman sighed.

* * *

He stood in the doorway, unsure of himself and wondering what he was thinking for the umpteenth time. It was not that he was shy, 'cause he certainly wasn't, but there was an undeniable uncertainly that hung around what he wanted to do. It was, quite frankly, annoying the living daylights out of him. With a last moment resolution, he knocked the door, and waited, half expecting her to be the one to open the door.

It certainly wasn't her.

The redhead blinked at the denim clad waist in front of his eyes, and raised them to meet probably the tallest men he had ever seen. He hold back a mouse-like squeak. Fryedka raised a thin eyebrow at the redhead's suddenly startled face, green eyes alight with mirth.

"Yes?" The redhead quickly relaxed as the voice was rather soft and gentle, matching the light in the man's eyes.

"Oh, sorry" The redhead shook his head, half in embarrassment, half trying to recover his composure "I was looking for Itza, is she home?"

Fryedka raised his other eyebrow at the redhead, amused at his antics, but also with a light suspicion of what his intentions towards his daughter-in-law were. Smirking lightly, he nodded, stepping aside to let the redhead into the house.

"She's in the basement, training" He smiled lightly as the redhead's nervousness washed away slowly "Say boy, what's your name?"

"Oh" He blinked at his question, and grinned sheepishly "Tala Ivanov sir, sorry for that. I'm kinda in a distracted mood"

"That I can see" The taller man chuckled softly, huge hand patting the redhead's back as lightly as he could.

Tala had the sinking feeling the man could easily crush him with a hand, but remained as calm as he could, while they walked towards a wooden door. Fryedka stopped and motioned the redhead to open it. Behind it appeared a single flight of stairs and a faint music could be heard.

"Natasha isn't home right now, and neither is Irina" The green eyed man told him with a smile "But I would be extremely grateful if you two would keep it silent"

The redhead _did_ squeak self-consciously at that remark, blushing fiercely as the taller man walked away, chuckling. Cursing inwardly his slip of control, he walked down the stairs and stop on the last step, taking in the graceful show presented to him. She moved lightly, like summer's breeze, with an unnatural sense of balance and gracefulness. He blinked though, as he noticed her arms moving, flowing into harmony with the rest of her body, he couldn't but think of Lizeth. Yet the Wench's grace was natural, born of instinct and ease, while Maritza's came from training and hard work. Either way, both were amazing to see, and he knew for a fact he enjoyed it.

Itza finished her routine as usual, falling on one knee, her other leg outstretched behind her, her breathing slightly raged, as it was not the first time she did the whole routine in that particular training session. She whirled around at the sound of clapping, and blushed brightly as she found Tala looking at her in what seemed approval.

"Tala?" She blinked as the redhead smirked, walking towards her.

"That seems to be my name, don't wear it out"

At the cocky response, she glared, but found she couldn't exactly glare at him as she wanted, since now she was bare footed, standing a good eight inches shorter than the redhead. Loathing the fact she had to look up to properly glare at him, and ignoring the sparkle of arousal that hit her as she noted her nose was almost touching his chest, her eyes narrowed. He didn't allow her the pleasure to throw the required fit though, as before she could say a thing, his lips were on hers, reawakening that nagging whisper that begged her to let go. He drowned on her scent, his head bowed slightly as he tasted her, and found with no little surprise, the ease with which she reacted to his treatment. She stood on the tip of her toes, pressing herself flush against him, answering in kind to his attentions. One of his arms wrapped around her waist, while the other held her head against him. Hers were wrapped around his neck, her fingers softly running through his ever stubborn hair. After the most torturous minutes, she pushed him away slowly, and though he stopped kissing her, he didn't ease his tight hold on her.

"No, wait…" She cleared her throat to ignore the fact he was practically lifting her from the ground "I want to tell you something and-"

"I don't want to hear it" His growl startled her but as she tried to back off, he bit her earlobe, catching her off guard "I don't want to hear it if it's some senseless rant you came up with yesterday" She bit back a groan at the feel of his breath blowing sensually on her ear, and wondered when he had pushed her against the wall "I don't want to hear you rant. Say what you want and keep things clear"

She glared at him for daring to silence her, but was mostly amazed of his insight. She was, indeed, trying to rant about something that three words could have expressed just as simply. She looked away, hating the way her cheeks came aflame with embarrassment and excitement as he nipped her neck, not letting her go. Never letting her go.

"I want…" She turned to face him, leaning to kiss him tenderly, much more tenderly than she thought herself capable "I want you… but"

"Screw the but" The redhead's comment as he restarted the kiss made her moan softly "I want this, you want this… I don't see the _but_"

"S… Spencer…Sarah…" The redhead growled slightly, and his eyes found hers.

"Spencer loves you. More than he's willing to admit, even to himself" Itza wondered how did the redhead pick everything around him "But he's not a selfish prick. If he sees… if this works…" He didn't finish the sentence, because there weren't really words for it.

"And Sarah?" Itza narrowed her eyes slightly. He wanted things clear? Then he would get things clear "What about her?"

"Sarah's deeply, madly and completely in love with Karen" Tala stated matter of factly, raising an eyebrow "Thought that was pretty much clear to anyone with eyes?"

"I know that!" Itza snapped, looking away.

Tala looked at her curiously. Something was bothering her, irking her as it got under her skin, but he could not understand what. As he had said, he wanted her, _all_ of her, and she had said she wanted him, too. His brow burrowed slightly as he gently forced her to face him. There, swirling in her eyes was the unmistakable doubt of jealousy. The greatest insecurity of them all. Tala smiled softly in understanding.

"And you?"

"If I had wanted Sarah, she would be mine already" There was an arrogant tint to his voice, one that made Maritza snort despite the situation "I don't want her, because she can't match me. She's submissive" As he spoke the words, he nuzzled her neck, making her shudder in delight "She's a proper little lady who will rather silence her own voice before daring to contradict another. I like her, yes, and I feel affection for her, but she won't match me, thus I don't want her"

"And you expect me to believe you rather have me?"

The redhead was silent as he took in her features. Her hair, currently pulled back into a tight bun, her ever expressive purple eyes, her pale face, her petite body. But behind that, he also saw the fierce spirit and the solid determination to get what she wanted and fight for what she desired. The redhead smiled, as he leaned in to kiss her, and whispered only a word before doing so.

"Yes"

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_Gah! This been the most annoying chapter so far! Tala and Itza work rather well when they're already together, but before that… Pah! They're a pain! Oh, and the thing with Lizeth, despair not, she's not more powerful than anyone, or anything like that just 'cause she's got wings... Actually, she's not the only one who will develop physical manifestations of her bit beast :evil grin: And he will certainly hate it._

_Anyway, yeah, Maritza's a gymnast, had expected that? Heh. Also, you gotta love Fryedka, he's so cute :squishes Fryedka plushy: I hope you enjoyed this chapter, 'cause it certainly caused me trouble… And on a final note, thank you for your graceful reviews, in particular to **XxCrimsonShadowsxX**, 'cause she really knows how to make a girl feel special :grins: That being all…_

_Review!_


	14. Chapter Fourteen

_(A/N) Wee! More character development! And less descriptions! Actually, this chapter is quite… explosive. I simply adore the Itza/Tala moments, awkward and so natural at the same time XD Also, here's a bonus Lizeth/Ian friendship scene, and because I'm pretty sure Werewolf of Fire is going to love it. So the Ian moments in this chapter are especially dedicated to you girl :purrs: Moving on, I recommend to listen to Michelle Branch's "Everywhere" and "I can save you" while reading this particular chapter. It's what I used to write it. ;)_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, but I own plot and OC._

* * *

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Fourteen, Let It Rain On Me._**

"Yeah? Well at least I'm not a half asleep, mentally challenged idiot who can't tell apart left from right!" The screech of anger was met with a fierce growl, far too animalistic to have come out of a human throat.

Itza and Tala were fighting.

Again.

And by gods if it wasn't every bit as annoying as it was frequent.

The group was sitting on a bench at the cafeteria, watching the scene unfold with varying degrees of outmost entertainment to acute annoyance, Ian and Bryan being both ends of the scale. The girls (minus Lizeth, who was sketching something) found the situation amusing, chatting among each other about the possible outcomes and how utterly cute Tala looked when he was pissed off (that made all respective partners, boyfriends and whatnot scowl darkly). It was now almost a ritual for everyone who happened to know the last years' even the tiniest bit. Be it for the daily second shower the redhead took whenever the blond came into view, or by some snide remark, monumental fights out of nothing were fairly common whenever both teens were in the same room. Though it you were to analyze the situation carefully, you would notice that a great deal of the venom behind the insult wars was gone, replaced by a mocking tint that some could consider flirting. Of course it lost the desired effect when the comments were yelled at each other, followed by heated death glares, but really, it was all but normal with the two arrogant, short tempered teens.

It made Spencer's skin crawl.

Today's reason was no other but the recently announced joint project in Literature, in which their teacher, being the sadistic bitch she was, paired them up on her own, regardless of the consequences it would bring. There had been silence in the room when that particular pair had been announced, followed by loud groans from everyone but the said.

They were too busy boring holes into each other's skull.

The bell rang, interrupting whatever smartass remark that was making its way through Tala's throat, signaling the end of their recess. Slowly, as cattle being lead to slaughter, children and teens of every age dragged their lazy selves towards their homerooms, ready for the last two classes of the day. Itza grumbled under her breath, falling behind the rest as they walked through the wide corridor, her mood slightly sour by how their fight had been interrupted by the bell. She was about to reach their homeroom, when a hand shot from a nearby door, dragging her inside. She squeaked in surprise, before finding herself against the very source of her annoyance.

Tala had the nerve to smirk as he leaned in to nuzzle the underside of her neck.

"Mentally challenged, aren't I?" He mused as she bit back a groan.

"We're going to be late" She chided, despite the fact her hands were running through his hair, one of her legs wrapped around his waist in a very inappropriate way.

"I know" His voice was slightly breathless, and he was both loathing and loving whatever she was doing with her hands "But you rather spend time with Petrov than with me? I'm hurt"

"Bastard" She bit his lower lip, not harsh enough to draw blood, but enough to evoke a soft moan.

Again, she wondered why the insult sounded more and more like a pet name.

They couldn't stay there for long though, given they didn't want to call attention to themselves, and soon Tala was knocking at the classroom, bored look on his face, not a single trace of his previous actions showing in his face. Itza came in moments later, sneezing slightly and excusing herself by saying she had gone to take a pill for a building head ache.

No one notice the well veil exchange, as the faint affection vanished from their eyes as they regarded each other with the familiar animosity.

It was a dangerous game, one they found entertaining and thrilling at the same time, because they weren't entirely sure they were ready to bring out whatever this relationship they shared.

Tala was pretty sure Spencer was going to kill him when he found out.

* * *

"So" The red eyed teen asked as he let himself fall on bed, smirk tugging at his lips.

"So?" Lizeth blinked, giving him an exasperated look. Ian rolled his eyes.

"Please Wench, what's up?" He sat cross-legged on the end of the bed, resting his face on one of his hands, mischievous glint in his eyes "Or must I spell it out for you"

"Nothing's up" Black eyes darted away, as she sat back against the wall, her legs folded to the side "What do you want?"

"To talk" He shrugged.

"To investigate, more the like" She gave him a slight glare, her arms wrapping around her legs "Nosy bastard"

"But you love me all the same" The Shrimp laughed in a good mood, amused at her obvious discomfort "And that's why you're going to tell your good friend Ian all the sordid details"

"How many times will I tell you, there're _no_ sordid details" She flattered her tone, trying to make it more impressive, but the blunette shrugged.

"Are you expecting me to believe that you share a room, a _bed_ with Bryan and there are no sordid details? Sorry, but no" He smirked "Or could it be our brave Wench is nervous?" She snorted indignated "Perhaps our little lady is rather embarrassed of what she is doing…"

Lizeth grinded her teeth together, and fetched her notebook from the nightstand to stop herself from choking him. Tala wouldn't take kindly on her killing off the team, never mind how annoying they were. Looking at him, she started to sketch his form in the paper, but just parts of it, like his hands or his eyes.

"I'm not embarrassed" She shrugged "We're just… going slow" Looking over at him, she smirked "Unlike you and Mel, for instance, we don't scape into a closet at every chance"

"Excuse me!" His disbelieving splutter made her feel better "We do _not_, ok? I'd love to know who the hell has nothing better to do as to speculate on my love life of all things"

"You're Mel's first boyfriend. Ever. That makes people wonder" She smirked at his flagbastered expression "Oh, please Ian, and don't look at me like that. It's my best friend you're dating, remember? For once _I_ know the sordid details"

"Really?" He blinked, startled "She kisses rather well for an amateur…"

"Aw, gross Shrimp!" She shuddered, glaring darkly "I don't need details, ok? That kind of thing is just… urg"

"Your extensive vocabulary has me awed" Ian crossed his arms, giving her a flat stare.

"And your sarcasm is going to get a stick stuck into your ass, so I think we're even" She smirked with satisfaction as he shuddered at the mental image "But really, I think it's great you two hooked up. It's good for her, and it certainly is good for you…"

"Oh yeah? How come?" He raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious at her words.

"Well" She grinned rather wolfishly "You're too busy with her to bother with pranks, aren't you? That's certainly an improvement in my books"

"Gah, I don't know why I bother" He threw his arms in the air, looking away with a sulk.

"'Cause you love me, idiot, that's why!" She laughed at him, reaching out to ruffle his hair, smirking when he tried to scape her hold "That, and because you're incredibly cute when you're flustered" She her grin grew at the death glare she got for her efforts.

"Let's get things clear, shall we? I. Don't. Do. Cute." He glared, stucking his lower lip out in what suspiciously seemed a pout.

"I don't know… all those fans of yours seem to think so" Her eyes sparkled with mirth as he flushed in mock anger.

After a few more chuckles, two funny stories regarding fan mail, three sketches, and after he ditched his shoes, Ian made the question that had been irking him for so long.

"Wench?" He was playing with a pair of pin pong balls, swirling them in his right hand, while he tried to imagine how the little white things had ended up in Lizeth's trunk.

"Mm?" The pencil ran mercilessly over the paper, lines coming together, slowly shaping the moving hands in high detail. She chose not to comment on the sudden softness of his voice.

"How do you know when you're in love with someone?" For the first time since he met her, he saw what Bryan saw in her.

Lizeth, unrestrained by anything, eyes bright as two flaming charcoals, smiled in the most sincere way the Shrimp had ever seen.

* * *

"We'll have to tell them one day, you know?" Tala sighed.

"I know" He tightened his hold on her, letting her rest her head against his shoulder "I know. I just don't know how…"

"What's there to lose?" She huffed, stepping away from him, violet eyes narrowed in slight annoyance "L'amour fini de seule victoire est effroi" She recited the quote with an air of finality "The only victory-"

"-Over love is fright. Napoleon, I know, I know…" He rolled his eyes "Quand dans l'amour, il y a toujours d'un qui embrasse et un qui offre la joue" Tala smirked at the cute frown that adorned her forehead.

"Vous parlez français? (_You speak French?_)" She raised an eyebrow, the flawless sound reaching the redhead's ears like music, despite the challenge in her words.

"Oui, ma dame, vous? (_Yes, my lady, do you?_)" He made a mocking bow, his voice slightly rough, not used to speaking the language since so long "Mais c'est sans compter que le point (_But that's besides the point_)" Just to be annoying, he continued in the musical language, closing on her as if she were his prey, backing her against the wall.

"Ce qui, oui, naturellement il est. Mais je ne veux pas garder ceci un secret (_What, yes, of course it is. But I don't want to keep this a secret_)" Shaking her head slightly, she tried to ignore his closeness, fixing her eyes on him "Nous n'avons rien à avoir honte de. Au moins je pas (_We have nothing to be ashamed of. At least I don't_)"

"Ni l'un ni l'autre pas I, si c'est ce que voulez dire vous... (_Neither do I, if that's what you mean…_)" He shrugged, his accent slowly diluting into the familiar tongue "Il est juste que je ne veuille pas blesser Spencer, et je ne le veux pas me blessant dans le retour (_It's just that I don't want to hurt Spencer, and I don't want him hurting me in return_)" He shuddered "Hein, franchement, I plutôt tous mes membres à rester où ils sont (_Eh, frankly, I rather all my limbs to stay where they are_)"

"Oh please, Spencer wouldn't hurt a fly!" She poked her chest; smirking and finally going back to their mother tongue "You're not afraid of him, are you?"

"I met your father, remember? I dread Spencer, Fryedka just plain scares the air out of my lungs"

Itza giggled at the notion, making the redhead sulk. Still very conscious of their closeness, she rested a hand on the side of his face, tilting it so as if to kiss him.

"Silly fool" She kissed him lightly, sighing softly when he wrapped his arms around her.

"But your fool none the less, ne?" He grinned lopsidedly, leaning in to nuzzle her chin "We should go back, we still have a class to take today, and I dread it's Biology"

"I don't know why you even bother" Letting go of him, she strengthened her cloths, smirking "It's not as if you actually get what we see in class"

"Oh you little _hag!_" He glared, but his rambling was cut short by the sky.

By the howling of a powerful thunder that shook earth with its power. Color fled Tala's face as he looked up at the sky, darkened with rain clouds. Animal fear snaked itself around his spine as another thunder growled in the sky. _Not now… damnit!_

"Tala?" Not thinking it twice, the redhead sprinted.

Blinking, Itza had the sinking suspicion that something was really wrong with the redhead, and sprint right behind him. The backyard of the school wasn't surrounded by a wall, and rather it was part of the forest that surrounded the small city. The same forest that lead to the Center. Idly, Itza cursed herself for wearing the damned high heels as she tried to catch up with the redhead. The snow was deep and her feet sunk into the soft material with each step she took. She knew that if she wasn't careful she would sprain an ankle or something worse, but she kept running. _Damn, the bastard's actually fast…_ She slipped on a snow covered sheet of ice and squeaked in fright as she grabbed a tree to stop herself from falling. Cursing her clumsiness, she regained her pace, trailing after the faint footprints in the fresh snow.

She cursed out loud as it started raining, and redoubled her efforts. Still, a part of her was weary of the situation, sending a generic warning that something was terribly amiss.

* * *

"Where's Itza? And for the matter, where's Red?" Ian blinked as their teacher closed the door, shivering from the cold. Outside, it was pouring, thunders clashing powerfully.

His question went unanswered as the class started, but Spencer frowned worried, while Bryan seemed rather pale and nervous. Tanya, their Biology teacher spoke cheerfully of their topic, drawing schemes and tables with flourish. She did notice the absences, and as the class finished, she asked Spencer to remind those two that they had a test on Monday. Walking out from their last class of the week, they found no clue to their friend's whereabouts. Spencer's mood was darkening, and Bryan seemed more and more anxious than ever.

"Hey guys!" Sarah walked towards them, smiling gently as she joined their little group "The weather's crazy, isn't it?" She delicately brushed her hair out of her face, it was damp with her slight run through the rain, sticking to her face and annoying her slightly.

"Yeah… say, have you seen Tala around?" Spencer's rather rough question raised a few eyebrows, but Sarah didn't seem offended. As usual.

"No, I was actually going to ask you if you had seen him. Ma wants to call today a day and close up early" She shrugged, smiling gently at Spencer's irritation, and immediately pinpointed the cause "Itza's gone too, isn't she?"

"Yeah… the strange thing is that neither entered last period. Itza, I believe she'd skip it, but Tala? Biology? He screws it enough already" Lizeth snorted at her own words, and silence fell their little group once more.

"Ne, what you bet those two are hiding in a broom closet _fighting_" Celeste's devious comment, clear eyes sparkling with amusement, caused a few scowls and some death glares, but she simply shrugged them off "Oh really, it's a possibility, isn't it?"

"Tala hates thunderstorms" Bryan concluded out loud, brow furrowed in slight worry.

Or as worried the pale teen could seem.

His comment caused a few risen eyebrows and one or two incredulous stares. The way he had said _hates_ hinted strongly towards _fears_, which considering who they were talking about was quite ludicrous. Tala didn't seem the type to be scared by natural phenomena, no matter how harsh. His escapade into a full blown, raging blizzard had proved that much, and yet Bryan seemed convinced. Shaking his head from his musings, he scowled at the stares he was getting.

"What? He _does_" Rolling his eyes at their reaction, he snorted "Whatever. I'm going back to the center, anyone coming, or you want to get soaked?"

The sudden change of demeanor wasn't lost on anyone, but if they had learnt one thing about the pale teen was that he was stubborn as a mule and silent as a rock. Trying to make him talk or do something he didn't want to, when he didn't want to, was considered a suicide attempt, very useless and a free trip into the emergency ward.

A chorus of sighs, and they disbanded, Sarah offering to drop Itza's bag in her house, while the other four boarded the bus, intent on reaching the cabin and hoping against all odds, to find the redhead inside, reading that damned book of his and intent on getting an explanation of his sudden disappearance.

Outside, the rain fell.

* * *

She reached the cabin, soaked, shivering and pissed off. Had she not been the creature of thunder she was, she would have been terrified at the prospect of running three miles on two-feet-thick fresh snow wearing high heels while the sky poured over her, thunder clashing wildly. Her anger dispelled slowly as she found the door ajar, swinging softly with the unrestrained winds of the ferocious storm. As she slid inside, her eyes adjusting to the near darkness of the small living room, she heard a whimper. It was a soft, tortured sound that called her attention and it touched her in a primitive, instinctual way. A clash of thunder illuminated the small room, and she saw him.

Curled pitifully against the farthest corner, his legs pulled against his chest while he hugged them close. He was shivering from the cold, his whole frame soaked by both the snow and the rain. Mud left a trail easy to spot, his otherwise spotless appearance marred by the marks of his frantic running. What made the blond tremble with an unvoiceable emotion were his eyes. The ever clear pools of liquid ice were darkened, shadowed by an irrational fear that made them murky. It unsettled her in a basic way, to see him in such a vulnerable way, wincing visibly with each strike of thunder.

"Tala?" She cringed when the redhead flinched at the sound of his name, holding himself even tighter.

"Go away" His voice was lower, much huskier than before, and he blatantly refused to meet her eyes.

"Tala" Finding courage in places she hadn't know she possessed, she gave a shaky step towards him, finally noticing the faint blue glow that covered the redhead, and the brilliant sapphire that hung from his neck, pulsating with a bright light of it's own.

"I said _go away!_" And this time, there was no fear in his voice as his head snapped towards her, his eyes glowing, excessively long fangs bared in warning.

Itza decided she was frankly mental and in need of serious help when she didn't back down from the very feral looking redhead.

"And I say fuck it, what's wrong with you!" And she boldly took a step closer.

In retrospective, that was quite a mistake as another thunder struck, either by natural forces or caused by her discomfort, it startled the redhead, making him press harder against the wall and making the eerie glow intensify so much it blinded her. Crying out in surprise at the sudden hit of cold air, she reached to touch him, regretting the action as soon as her fingers came in contact with his shoulders.

Images flashed behind her eyelids, memories that most certainly weren't her own, emotions so strong that almost overwhelmed her. It was a quick succession of information, too scattered to make sense, but clear enough to transmit feelings.

Dread. Fear. Hate. Loneliness. Sadness. Despair. Helplessness.

A man with stern grey eyes gazed at _her_, the sounds of the great storm making the sandy blond hair dance wildly in the harsh climate.

A woman with breathtaking silver eyes smiling sadly, her crimson colored hair sprawled around her like a pool of blood. In the background, the storm roared.

A tall purple haired man looking down at _her_, wine colored eyes glaring in earnest, heavy drops of water falling around them, soaking _her_ to the bone.

And the most disturbing of them all, the feeling of being pressed roughly against a wall, _her_ back aching infernally, _her_ body refusing to respond as pale yellow eyes glared in a very intrusive way at _her_. Hands on _her_ in ways that disgusted _her_ in the most primal way, and the absolute feeling of hatred they evoked within _her_. For some reason _she_ looked upwards, to the high arched ceiling, and forced _her_self to concentrate on the slowly falling drops of water that traced strange patterns in the large windows. Outside, the storm grew harsher.

Shaking her head, she found herself leaning against the back of the couch, half sprawled in a very undignified manner as she tried to get a grip on herself. Another strike of thunder, and Tala whimpered again.

The connection was mutual, as the redhead felt a few stray memories of a lonely blond girl and a tall man walking away, never looking back; but it wasn't entirely clear.

"Go away… just go away… I don't want to hurt anyone" He shivered inwardly, eyes shut tightly, very much aware of what had just happened.

Arms wrapped around him, pulling him against her as she knelt before him. She didn't fight the embracing sensation of the blue glow, but rather concentrated on soothing the unstable redhead. Running a hand over his hair in a soothing motion, she sighed.

"Shh… you know I'm here, right?" Her voice softened into the same tone she used to soothe Rinny after a particularly nasty nightmare, and smiled softly as shaking arms returned the affection. Dropping a kiss on his brow, she held him as close as she could.

Dimly, she realized they were supposed to be at school, and that there was going to be hell to explain to the others inhabitants of the cabin once Tala calmed down enough to talk.

_Damn it, Spencer **is** going to kill us…_

* * *

"Bryan?" Lizeth's voice was tentative, approaching him wearily as she watched the deep scowl he was wearing.

"Mm?" Eyes, pale as moonlight, turned to meet hers, worry, annoyance and a slight note of helplessness swirling behind the lavender depths "What?"

"What's wrong?" She tentatively reached to touch his arm, brow furrowing as his tone confirmed her suspicions. Bryan knew something that they didn't.

"It's…" He looked away, eyes fixing once more in the weather outside, looking uncomfortable with the situation "Tala, ok? I'm worried"

"I know" The way she wrapped her arm around his, resting her chin on his shoulder, spoke of silent support and even more quieter questions "Why?"

"You've been spending far too much time with Ian" The dry remark was given with an unnecessary dark look, as the pale teen tried to dodge the question. Lizeth's flat stare (far too much like his own to be healthy) made him flinch inwardly "He… he gets flashbacks, ok? With thunderstorms. Shit that no one should ever go through, and that he generally ignores. Basically he crumbles into an irrational mass of emotions that can be pretty darn aggressive"

"Personal experience speaking, I'm guessing?" Despite the fact she was raising an eyebrow, there was sincere concern underneath her words.

"Yeah…" Bryan shrugged "I just wish the damn storm would be over so we could go check the cabin. I have a feeling about this"

"Oh, hold and behold, Bryan's developing a sixth sense…" She grinned as he shot her a dark glare, and the black haired teen shrugged "He's fine, you big brute, it's Tala we're talking about here, after all"

"Mm… you know Wench, do me a favor" At her risen eyebrow, she was rewarded with a rather rare sight. Bryan grinned "Don't comfort me when I get depressed ok?"

"Oi! Bastard" With a harder than intended smack, the black haired teen sulked away, seeking comfort in Ian's cackling form.

Slightly reassured by her words, Bryan rubbed his arm, smirking.

_At least we now know she has a mean left hook, ne?_

* * *

The rain hadn't stopped, but there was no more thunder. After a very needed shower, they had calmed down somewhat, but neither was backing down at the discussion at hand. It had started from something trivial, as all their fights did, but it had quickly escalated into something rather loud and passionate. Tala's eyes glowed faintly in recoil to her questions, while she shook with barely restrained anger. As arguments became less thought and more felt, Itza had slowly fallen back into her true native tongue, French, which was coincidentally, rather well fit to insult someone. Tala saw red as he started to answer her accusations in kind, matching her knowledge of the language with his own; his hissing, biting comments trying to make the stubborn creature before him give up.

A subconscious part of his mind, the one that kept him going with the insult war, was sure that she would eventually tire and give up on him. Like everyone else did once they got a glimpse at his less gentle side. The blond, however, did not, matching him fiercely as she demanded answers and refused to give in.

"Qui êtes-vous pour me dire comment me sentir?" _Who are you to tell me how to feel?_

Four teens walked through the now light rain towards the cabin, and as they approached, the howling of angered voices reached them, though they couldn't understand what it was being said.

"Qui êtes-vous à dire que vous savez sentir de 'moi'?" _Who are you to say you know how 'I' feel?_ The huskier voice was Tala's, that was for sure, though it sounded strange in the less guttural language, his accent almost heavy in his fury.

"Égalisez-vous le soin? Puisque je! Je m'inquiète de vous, damnez-le, et il n'y a rien que vous pouvez faire pour changer cela!" _Do you even care? Because I do! I care about you, damn it, and there is nothing you can do to change that!_

"Vous vous inquiétez des notions que vous avez de moi! Avez-vous l'idée pales de qui je suis? Je pense que vous pas" _You care about the notions you have of me! Do you have the lightless idea of who I am? I think you don't._

"Si je pas, est parce que quelqu'un trop art de l'auto-portrait-centered et introverti laissez-moi!" _If I don't, is because someone's too self-centered and introverted to let me!_

Spencer had the sinking feeling it was Maritza who was with the redhead, though he couldn't be sure, since he didn't know if she spoke another language or not.

"Pour quoi que? Vous marchez juste loin! Tout le monde est" _Whatever for? You'll just walk away! Everybody does._

"Au cas où vous ne noteriez pas, Je ne suis pas chacun!" _In case you haven't noticed, I'm not everyone!_

"Joli art de l'auto-portrait confiant, ne sommes-nous pas?" _Pretty self confident, aren't we?_

"Damnez-vous Ivanov, J'essaye, mais vous obtenez vraiment sous ma peau" _Damn you Ivanov, I'm trying, but you're really getting under my skin._

As they reached the cabin, they stood rooted in the entrance, watching with various degrees of amusement and disbelief as the scene unfolded before them. They didn't understand the words, but one needed to be pretty draft not to feel the meaning underneath.

"Et sous votre jupe, aussi, mais c'est tout que vous vous inquiétez environ, pas vous?" _And under your skirt, too, but that's all you care about, don't you?_

The angered pair was standing face to face next to the fireplace, the flames roaring behind them, as they yelled at each other, eyes flashing and fangs bared in Tala's case. The state of undress of both didn't go unnoticed, particularly on Spencer's case.

"Je devrais être celui vous accusant de celui, vous hybride! Pourquoi est-ce que je ne devraispas? Vu combien d'ennui vous voyez en laissant d'autres savez nous sommes impliqués"_ I should be the one accusing you of that, you bastard! Why shouldn't I? Considering how much trouble you see in letting others know we're involved._

The redhead was wearing a pair of old, grey sweatpants that were at least a size larger than his narrow frame required, and that was all. His hair was wet from the shower, dripping slightly, while his muscles, clearly seen now that he wasn't wearing a shirt, were strained and taunt as a bowstring.

"Impliqué? Est ce ce que vous allez appeler ceci?" _Involved? That's what you're going to call this?_

Itza was wearing the redhead's favorite purple sweater, the long sleeves at least five inches longer than she needed, and on the whole, far too larger for her, as it reached her mid-tights. Her soaked hair was pulled back in a messy bun, wet tendrils of hair framing her angered face. A par of the redhead's black boxers completed the attire, giving them both a _morning-after_ feeling.

"Queest-ce que je peux lui appeler? Vous ne me laisserez pas devenir assez étroit avez laissé ceci se développer" _What else can I call it? You won't let me get close enough to let this grow._

"La question principale est pourquoi devrait je? Pour tous je sais, vous êtes toujours dans l'amour avec Spencer et m'employer d'en avoir en arrière après lui" _The key question is why should I? For all I know, you're still in love with Spencer and using me to get back at him._

"Pensez-vous tellement peu à moi?" _Do you think so little of me?_

"M'avez-vous fourni des preuves d'autrement? Vous êtes trop inquiété de lui sachant nous" _Have you given me proof of otherwise? You're too worried about him knowing about us._

"Est-ce que Je Suis? Rappel du bout I c'était vous qui n'a pas su leur dire!" _Am I? Last I recall it was you who didn't know how to tell them!_

"Bien, flash d'information! Je suis celui qui a aller obtenir battu dans pouce de sa vie où il découvre!" _Well, newsflash! I'm the one who's going to get beaten within an inch of his life when he finds out!_

"De sorte que tout environ, n'est-il pas?" _So that's all about, isn't it?_

"Ne commencez pas encore Pavlova, nous tous les deux savons que vous ne vous souciez guère" _Don't start again Pavlova, we both know you don't give a damn._

By now, they were almost touching, glaring at each other darkly. Tala looked down at Itza with utmost resentment, eyes darkened, partly by his hurted pride, partly by the acute words she retorted.

"Pas vous DÉFI me dites que je me sens!" _Don't you DARE to tell me how I feel!_

It they had thought the blond was a sight to behold when she was yelling herself hoarse, the quiet whisper as her eyes narrowed almost into slits sent shivers down their spines.

"Pourquoi est-ce que je ne devrais pas? Je peux deviner, est-ce que je ne peux pas?" _Why shouldn't I? I can guess, can't I?_

The redhead snorted, crossing his arms in distaste as he gave her a patronizing glare, apparently immune to her distress.

"Conjecture? Conjecture ceci!" _Guess? Guess this!_

And _that's_ when things got out of hand. With the final screech of anger, and in front of four very flagbastered teens (albeit, they hadn't noticed them _yet_), the blond pulled the redhead down, crushing her lips against his in what was quite possibly the single most explicit thing the other four had seen. The kiss had nothing of tender as the redhead returned the attention in earnest, his arms now wrapped around her in a possessive way. It was raw, animal and very much sex-like in a way the other four hadn't even thought possible. Itza and Tala were kissing, in the cabin, half dressed and with the very same passion they had been yelling at each other, mere seconds before.

Then Spencer reacted, and all went to hell.

* * *

"Ow…" Itza resisted the urge to snicker as she pressed the cold towel to the redhead's swollen temple.

Spencer had a surprisingly nasty right hook Tala hadn't tasted in a while.

Said blond was sitting on the other couch, sulking and glaring in earnest at the redhead and the blond who was practically on his lap. When Ian had managed to stop cackling like a possessed man, he had run off to tell Krystal they had found the redhead, and to phone Itza's parents and inform then on their daughter's whereabouts. Lizeth was perched on Bryan's lap, watching the scene in amusement, while the pale teen resisted, for the umpteenth time that evening, the urge to sigh and roll his eyes. The black haired female had sought refugee in-between his legs, so she could hurl comments to the other occupants of the room, fearless of a repercussion.

Bryan sometimes hated the little thoughtful bugger, and the overprotective steak within him.

"So… err…" Itza sat back, unconsciously scooting into the redhead's half embrace at the sight of Spencer's narrowed eyes.

"Explain" He uttered one word.

A single word that made very clear that heads were going to roll if said explanation wasn't good enough. Tala sweat dropped and Itza squeaked.

This was _not_ how he had meant to tell the others, not at all.

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_L'amour fini de seule victoire est effroi. The only victory over love is fright. A quote from Napoleon I, apparently after his wife offered him her personal jewels to sustain his army, but I'm not entirely sure._

_Quand dans l'amour, il y a toujours d'un qui embrasse et un qui offre la joue. When in love, there is always one who kisses and one who offers the cheek (French proverb)._

_XD You got to love Tala/Itza moments, ne? I had so much fun with this one! And there's also a start to Tala's twisted past and Itza's own insecurities, wee! I promise I'll tell more about the redhead soon (That particular chapter is almost done, it's 46 pages and counting and it's not nearly as detailed as I would have liked it to be… BTW, my beta for that one was cursing me in every language she knew when she was done XD)._

_Onto happier topics, I used this chapter to practice my poor, and I mean it, **poor** French skills, as you can see my syntax in the language of love leaves quite a lot to be desired, but I think it's partially understandable. And, I personally love it when people get so worked up they start swearing in another language (Not that **I** would do it, of course… ;P) and it's really amusing with these two, one moment tender, the next almost hating. Ne, haven't you heard that there's a very fine line between Love and Hate?_

_Anyway, Review!_


	15. Chapter Fifteen

_(A/N) Finally I'm done with this chapter! You know, having an idea stuck into your head for **fifteen** months ain't pretty. Not at all. So, ladies and gentlemen, the scenes that gave this fic a hope to exist! Special thanks to all of you who have reviewed, and for those who're wondering, no, this thing ain't close to ending… quite the contrary, even, more random people popping up to cause trouble and more questions than answers given._

_Don't you just love me? XD_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, but I own plot and OC._

**_

* * *

_**

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Fifteen, Crimson Vengeance._**

"Look at the bright side, you still breathe" Itza grinned, snuggling against the sour redhead, fingertips tracing patterns on his shirt.

"Not thanks to your '_but he's got such a talented mouth!'_ comment from earlier, that's for sure" Tala mused darkly, eyes flickering down to the blond with slight irritation "If you want me dead woman, shot me, but for god's sake, never again set Spencer on me. That's just plain cruel" Itza giggled softly.

"But the look of absolute terror afterwards was so _cute_" She grinned at his death glare, snuggling closer, so that she was half lying atop of him.

"Sadistic hag" Despite the annoyed tone, he twisted so that she was laying on him, both of them stretched on the couch.

"Oh, but you love me anyway" Grinning, she nuzzled his breastbone, content with the feeling of his fingers running though her hair.

They weren't sure they wanted to know what Ian had told Fryedka, but apparently Natasha, Itza's mom, was out of town and he was, in turn, left without a car for the weekend, and the tall man asked if she could stay the night. Upon hearing the news, Spencer wouldn't talk to either of them.

Actually, he wouldn't talk to _anyone_, growling and glaring at whoever came close to him.

Right now, the blond was brooding in his room, which was the reason why the merry couple was going to sleep in the living room, Ian seeking refugee in Bryan and Lizeth's room. They always had a spare bed, anyway. Which would have been fine for them, had Ian not started in his long string of annoying warnings, and unrequited comments that simply made Tala's jaw clench shut, while Itza's left eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

All in all, they had taken the revelation of their strange relationship rather well, all things taken into account. Sure, they still had to make amends with Spencer (and avoid getting Tala into further physical damage), make Ian drop the puns, Bryan stop smirking knowingly, and Lizeth's mischievous glint whenever she crossed eyes with the redhead, but in truth, it was all to be expected.

As her breathing slowed into deep, slumber fill breaths, lulled into sleep by his fingers on her hair, the redhead wondered why exactly was he feeling like something incredibly bad was about to happen.

* * *

"_The perimeter has been sealed sir. Awaiting instructions_" The man holding the radio sneered, eyes flashing eerily behind the mask.

"Understood, Capitan. Prepare your men and be ready to attack at 700. Remember, this are no little kids, and each of them hold the same training and knowledge your men do. Do not underestimate them or you will most certainly regret it" There was a certain mocking tone to his voice as he spoke, his body tense with anticipation.

"_Sir, yessir_"

Smiling cruelly, the tall man watched over the forest towards the small tendrils of smoke that came out of the various cabins. He was so close to success he could almost taste it.

"Smirnov? Can you hear me?"

"_Sir, loud and clear sir. Do you need something?_"

"Yes. How's our little lady today?"

"_Stable sir, apparently she's stopped fighting, though we can't be sure. There hasn't been a change in heart rate or breathing, though_"

"Good, prepare to wake her soon, she's receiving some friends this evening"

"_Sir, yessir_"

* * *

The sound of an explosion shook the Center grounds to its very core. Itza feel to the ground with a loud thud, moaning and looking around in slightly confusion. Bryan, Lizeth and Ian stumbled out of their room, while Spencer slammed his door open with a growl. Tala, on his part, sat at the couch, eyes fixed on the fireplace, his expression grim. He sighed as he felt all eyes on himself, and shrugged, standing up.

"The bastard's here" He stated simply, wincing at the sound of a second explosion. He was dressed already, in his old BioVolt uniform, the silver blade and his gun launcher resting on the low table before him "He's here for us"

There was a tense silence at that particular proclamation as they stood before him, past anger or mocking forgotten at the sight of the frozen over irises. Ian was fighting with every inch of his will to not shiver inwardly, while Bryan's face darkened considerably. Spencer was looking at him seriously, his anger dispelled at the situation, while Lizeth tried to puzzle together his words. Itza simply looked like she wanted to be somewhere else.

"I had expected this, but not when you two were here" His eyes drifted to the females in the room "This matter doesn't concern you, and I don't wish to involve you in it" He sighed "Valkov" Three teens tensed visibly at his mention of the man "Is here for us, not for you. We'll have to go and face him, but I'd feel better if you would stay here" The three males nodded in agreement, but the complains sounded almost immediately.

"Like hell!" Lizeth snarled, eyes narrowing.

"I hate to agree with Lizzy dear, but yeah. Not a chance in hell" Itza rested a hand on her hip, giving the redhead a risen eyebrow.

"You have no means to defend yourselves and you'll be walking straight into an unnecessary danger" The redhead calmly stated, eyes stern. Lizeth snarled, eyes flashing red for a moment, and she cracked her knuckles.

"I'm going. I know it, you know it, and you'll be in pain if you try to stop me" The fact that her words were true made the redhead frown.

"Fine, but Maritza is staying, and that's final" The redhead glared at the blond, who snarled "Lizeth's got years of street fighting to back her up, and while I'm not entirely happy, I know she's quite capable of taking care of herself. You on the other hand, will not run into danger just because of petty stubbornness"

"Tala's right" Surprisingly, it was Spencer who backed the redhead's decision, and all heads turned to him. He shrugged, leaning against the computer's chair "What are you going to do, swing a ribbon against them?" He smirked nastily, enjoying the sight of the seething female.

"No" Itza's voice was cold as ice as she glared at him, eyes flashing as she raised a hand to point at him "I'd do this"

Surprising everyone, she glowed in a dark purple light, bolts of electricity cracking around her before a particularly nasty one shot straight against Spencer, sending him sprawling against the wall, unconscious. The blond smirked, clenching and unclenching her hand a few times, some remains of power cracking around it, before she gave Tala a look that clearly challenged him to change his mind.

"An elemental" The redhead frowned, looking at her with narrowed eyes "How?"

"Despite popular belief, I do not spend my life wearing a leotard, nor are you the only one dedicated at blading, sugar" She smirked "Dagger's been with me for almost ten years now, and we're close. I rather not disclose how it happened, but the point is that it did. Now who's the defenseless, little female who's staying behind?" She cooed the last part, mocking Tala with the look in her eyes.

"Fine, whatever. Go get dressed, and someone wake Spencer. We're leaving soon, I have the feeling he's waiting for us to go" Shrugging at them, the redhead sat back, and ignored them thorough fully as he set his eyes on the flickering embers of the fireplace.

Two sighs, a grunt and a snort were his only answers as the group disbanded.

* * *

The tank was emptied, and the glass slid away to reveal the white haired female. Her hair was still grey in shade, falling behind her in a wet mess. She wore similar clothing to that of the soldiers, but entirely black in color, black pants, black long-sleeved shirt, black vest, and black snow boots. It made her look intimidating, and despite her eyes being closed, she gave a decided step forward, then she stopped abruptly. Various men in white lab coats as well as a small reserve of guards watched her wearily. Then she opened her eyes, two pits of swirling crimson, and a black aura surrounded her, vicious dark flames licking her frame, yet causing no harm as the creature inside her recoiled to her attempts to regain control. For an instant she did, her eyes cleared back into their natural blue color and her hair returned to its former white. Eyes widening, and realizing she was too tired to keep control of her own body, she let out a plea for help, calling both, in her mind and out loud, for the only person she know that could help her.

"_Kai!_" White light enveloped her, a tall pillar of brightness erupting from within her as her cry reached the sky.

When the glow faded, she was on her knees, but her hair was now fully black and her eyes two flashing rubies. Smirking at the startled guards, she raised a hand as if to order them to stop.

"It's alright, she's mine now" The voice was two octaves lower, her lips twisting into an unnatural smirk "I'll have to thank my Lord for such a nice present…"

In one of the most disturbing things any of the present had ever seen, the now black haired teen laughed in a frightening way.

* * *

He hated being among the 'good' guys, he really did. Kai scowled as they tried to follow a very elusive aqua haired boy. Grinding his teeth in annoyance at Tyson's speech, he wondered if it would look bad of him to encourage Zeo to _leave_. Shaking his head from his musings, he frowned as they cornered said boy at the bridge. He needn't Tala's talents to see the boy was distressed and no little afraid, but what puzzled the blunette was the cause of his agitation.

Zeo seemed afraid of _Tyson_, which made absolutely no sense, since he had been fawning of his over excited team mate. Hell, he had been fawning over _him_, just two days ago. Now the child seemed frankly terrified of them, and Kai couldn't for the life of him figure out why.

"Just talk to us Zeo! We're friends, remember?" Tyson's pleading only made the green haired boy edge further away from them, backing against the railing of the bridge.

But before he could answer, his eyes widened, settling on Kai.

The dual haired teen gasped out loud as a searing pain settled itself on his chest, where Nyx's bit was hanging from a necklace. White light enveloped him, raising him above the ground for a moment, his senses filling with the unheard plea, uttered miles away from where he was. The light was warm, filled with a familiar presence that soothed him despite the pain he felt. Shared memories assaulted his consciousness, the sudden knowledge painful and necessary at the same time.

_Kai!_

Then, as suddenly as it started, it ended, dropping him to his knees on the wooden bridge, sweat covering his body as he shook from the aftershocks. The pendant glowed white through his black shirt, very noticeable to the other's startled expressions.

"Omi" Was all the blunette uttered, the word leaving his mouth in a breathless whisper.

And then he sprinted, not in fear, but in anger. He knew, damn it, he knew it _all_ now… _You've crossed a line Valkov, and this time, there won't be any Tala to save you…._

"Kai! Wait!" Tyson tried to catch him, but the red eyed teen simply glared at him from over his shoulder, knowing Zeo had used his little episode to escape.

"Fucking go away!" He snarled as he felt Max and Rei start chasing him too.

"But Kai! What about Zeo-"

"Zeo can very well go fuck himself; I have better things to do…" He glared at them as he kicked a wall, climbing it with relative ease, he snarled fiercely at their startled, half hurted faces "I said fuck off!"

And he jumped down the wall, leaving them behind, and not truly caring about it as first priority. Still, he felt a bit bad for yelling at them the way he had done so, but he knew they wouldn't understand. No one would ever understand it.

_It's going to take a good deal of apologies to set things straight once I get back… **If** I get back…_

* * *

No one had seen Tala looking so feral before, not even when Lizeth had gotten her first seizure in his presence or when he had stormed into the blizzard to save Rinny and Karen, never before had the redhead's eyes burn with such anger, so much, it bordered close on hatred. He walked in decided steps, knowing full well there was no point in rushing, and trying in vain to get his sudden flare of emotion under control. At his left, Itza, who was wearing a clone of Lizeth's cloths more to her dismay, matched his steps, silently supporting his decision, while at the same time wondering what the hell she was getting herself into. Ian was thoughtful, following behind the leading pair, wondering why their leader was walking straight on to what was very obviously a trap, but chose not to comment. Tala had gotten them out of worse, and he wasn't going to start doubting his Capitan's instincts now. Spencer was in a sour mood, but looking forward to actually being able to hurt someone without repercussions. At least some of his anger was going to get channeled in less negative situations. He glared resentfully over the blond and the redhead at the front, knowing somewhere within him that he wasn't being entirely fair and that he was going to end up talking with them sometime.

He hated having a conscience.

Bryan and Lizeth were the ones walking at the very back, the pale teen clenching and unclenching his fists repeatedly, going mentally though his training and what he knew Tala's cryptic words had meant.

_The bastard's here. He's here for us._

Wouldn't he ever stop making their lives living hell? A growl died in his throat as a tentative hand wrapped itself around his arm, _calm down_, the warmth of someone else's presence soothing his distress slightly.

"You know this is a big set up, don't you?" Her voice held a light worried and he sighed.

"Yeah. But Tala knows what he's doing" He shrugged, looking down at her with a mild smirk "Sorry Wench, but you're dealing with us for a while longer"

"Don't you dare to use _my_ words against me" She mock scowled, rolling her eyes.

The glow of the fire made them tense, the cries of the younger students making Tala's jaw clench in indignation. The redhead sprinted forward, Itza, Ian and Spencer right before him. Lizeth was held back by Bryan's hold on her arm, blinking, she looked up at him questioningly.

"Don't hate me for this" He whispered almost ruefully, leaning in to kiss the surprised female, her eyes widening at the sudden display of affection, so deeply marked by despair. _I'm sorry…_ before he hit the back of her neck, making her fall slack against him.

Gently settling her down on the soft snow, hidden behind a small bush, the pale teen sighed and ran to meet his teammates, knowing full well what was about to happen.

* * *

Krystal, despite what others would have expected, was far from panicking. Keeping the children behind her, her eyes flashing with anger, she stood before their attackers, trying to be a source of comfort to the younger ones.

Not that there could be much comfort when half the office and the two cabins closer to it were on fire.

Vlad was at her side, trying to keep the children from scattering, his eyes firmly fixed on their attackers. They were armed, but not with guns, as if their purpose wasn't to hurt them, but to capture someone. The white clad soldiers closed on them, masked faces impassive at the crying of the younger ones, while Krystal seethed.

_When you said he liked drama, I didn't think of this Tala…_

A silver blade cut the air before them, glowing in a faint eerie blue glow.

"Wolborg, _Liedyanaya Stiena_!" The silver blade increased its spinning rate, ice forming around it, before it circled the startled children and the two distressed adults, encapsulating them inside an ice barrier "You want _me_, stop playing games on the children" Tala appeared at the edges of the forest, eyes frozen in cold fury, fangs flashing under the golden glow of the fires.

"That's the Wolf! The others must be nearby! Go!" The apparent leader of the squadron yelled over the stunned silence, and the soldiers disbanded.

The fight was monumental. The four boys were quite skilled in hand to hand, given that the soldiers didn't seem to want to harm them, but Itza proved she _was_ an elemental, frying more than one man that got too close to her. There was a slight purple glow flowing steadily around her as she tried to get their attention, giving the others a chance to work. The blades zoomed around, attacking at random targets to weaken the strong defense of the squadron. Bryan's Falborg made quite the job, in particular, its powerful razor winds cutting even the thick ice sheet Wolborg left behind. Seaborg was spinning around the burning buildings, trying to put the fire off. Dagger spined at his mistress' feet, glowing brightly and channeling its power through her. They were being closed upon, though, and soon the five teens were standing back to back to each other.

"Now" The command crossed the space with ease, the voice was soft and with a velvet quality to it, and overrode the growls and snarls of their to-be-captives with startling ease.

"Don't breath" Tala hissed as the gas covered the area, a second later, Spencer grunted, a tranquilizer dart poking from his leg.

The curtain of gas made them easy targets as they tried to stay together. Ian and Bryan were next, falling prey to the now shooting guards. Seaborg, Wyborg and Falborg, without the steady will of their masters, fell next to them on the fresh snow. Itza was hit twice, but she let out a monumental blow of thunder, coming directly from the sky before falling unconscious. Tala himself had three of the damn darts on himself, but he refused to give them the satisfaction.

Among the curtain of gas, a dark presence was felt. One that made Tala wince with familiarity. As the man drew closer, the redhead fell to his knees, coughing the stinging gas out of his lungs. A hand pulled him up roughly, and he found himself eye to eye with his worst nightmare. Wine eyes flashing behind the red crystals.

"You" The blue eyed boy chocked out with a slight glare.

"Me" Boris Valkov, bastard extraordinaire, smirked as he threw the teen back, eyes flashing darkly "You know what to do!"

The last thing the redhead remembered was a stinging feeling in his neck, and then… darkness.

* * *

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Max asked doubtfully as they walked down the street "I mean, Kai was sure in a fool mood"

"You were there Maxie, something happened to Kai, and I'm not resting until I find out what" The long haired blunette retorted, determination shining through his voice.

"For once I agree with you Tyson, Kai was acting strange…" Rei muttered, frowning "Never mind the fact he left, that he _swore_ is irking me. He's generally too refined to restore to vulgar language"

"True" Hillary put on her two cents "He was completely out of it, and that's just out of character for him… Not even with the Wyatt thing he got that way"

"Exactly" Tyson nodded, and ran the bell "Let's hope he's still home"

The house was rather… well common. The front door gave out directly into the street, with a small garage at the side. It was painted in a cream color, and had two floors. The hintings of a backyard could bee seen behind the garage door, but all in all, it didn't seem to be _Kai's_ house.

"-No, no… of course not! Excuse me, please, there's someone at the door…" The door opened revealing Katherine, and the four teens were slightly taken aback "Yes?"

The woman was dressed in a dark blue business suit, with a short skirt and a vest, her hair framing her eyes in its usual disarray. Slightly high heeled shoes finished her attire, as she held the door opened with one hand, the other gripping a cell phone. She raised a slate eyebrow in a suspiciously Kai-like fashion, silver eyes traveling though their faces half in annoyance half in curiosity.

"I… we…Kai…" Tyson blinked, coughed as the woman smirked slightly and shook his head to clear his thoughts "We're Kai's friends, Mrs. we wanted to know if he was home"

"No, came and left about an hour ago" Kat's eyes glinted in slight amusement at their obvious discomfort "Give me a secon' and I'll deal with you, come in" Moving so they could enter, she returned to her phone call, though at some point she changed languages into what suspiciously sounded like German.

The house, against what they had believed, was quite cozy and Japanese-styled, though there were a few marked Russian tendencies. Pine, wooden floors, with nice green carpets, a small corridor that lead to a rather small living room. The set of furniture was a forest green shade, while the walls were painted white. Some paintings hung from the walls, mostly of forests and lakes, while a respectable fireplace stood proudly. Two intricate crystal sculptures rested over it, both of unicorns with women trying to climb them. There was a flight stairs on a corner, an open door that lead to the kitchen (where Kat had run to) and a door that gave towards the backyard. Through the large window they could see a garden with roses of almost every color, a sakura tree and a concrete beydish. They stood in the living room, not sure of what to do, for a few moments, then Kat entered with a tray of tea cups and grinned at them.

"Sorry about that, but some people don't get that when I say I'm an executive, I mean that I execute things" Snickering at her private joke, she motioned them to sit, offering tea "Not traditional tea, I'm afraid, just an instant mix, hope you like it" At their flagbastered expressions, she rolled her eyes "The fact my son acts like a prat most of the time, doesn't mean it comes from my side of the family, really" The dry retort made them blush brightly, accepting the drink and mumbling their thanks. Past a minute of silence, she sighed "Alright, what's the matter? I have a meeting in ten minutes and as much as I enjoy your _thrilling_ conversation, I have to go"

That caused a new wave of blushes of varying degrees, and a roll of eyes from the woman.

"It's… something weird happened today" Tyson volunteered "Kai got in a strange situation and then he just… left"

"He seemed rather distressed too" Rei added for good measure, sipping on his tea delicately.

"Mm, like I told you, he came in a rush, said something about having something pressing to do. And he was seething like a mad man too" Kat shrugged slightly "Though with his temper I didn't make much of it. What else happened?"

"Well… It was kind of a searing white light, something… strange" Max blinked, scratching his chin thoughtfully "It lifted him off the floor for a second, and then he fell to his knees. Second later he sprinted. He was really in a meaner mood than usual, though"

"Mhm" To their surprise, Kat didn't seem surprised by their rather bizarre explanation, instead, she shrugged "Was this white light, by any chance, accompanied by a voice? A girl's voice?"

The five looked at each other, was the woman mocking them? But Kat's face showed a certain amount of seriousness as well as curiosity. She was being honest.

"No, Mrs. Hiwatari, there wasn't anything like that" Hillary wondered why there was a tint of jealousy in her mood as she stated the facts.

"Oh, well…" Kat shrugged "In that case… I have to go"

"But what about Kai?" Tyson's surprised yelp made him blush brightly, but Kat simply raised an eyebrow.

"He's a grown up boy, he knows what he's doing" At the startled looks, she shrugged "If it makes you feel better, check his room, he might have left a note or something, but I seriously doubt it. That's not how Hiwatari's do their job" Reaching for her keys, she walked to the door and smirked slightly "Oh, and careful with Rogue, his teeth are growing and he likes to bite. Close the door when you leave!"

And she was gone.

"Did Kai's mom just leave us, alone, in her house with instructions of going through Kai's bedroom?"

"Yes Tyson, it would seem that way" Kenny, who had stayed silent for all the small interchange, answered, a bit flagbastered himself.

"Awesome!" The world champion cheered, eyes alight with mirth "Then what are we waiting for?"

"_Tyson!_" The reprimand stopped the bouncing teen, one feet already on the stairs.

"What?"

"We can't just storm into Kai's room!" Hillary screeched, annoyed.

"Yeah, it's not polite" Max frowned slightly, giving him a reproaching look.

"Skip being polite, if Kai finds out, we're dead, easy and simple. Particularly after today's tantrum" Rei pointed out, giving him a flat look.

"But… but… _guys!_" Tyson sighed in exasperation "Don't you get it? When are we getting a chance like this? And besides, it's not like we're going to search his room! Just a peek! See if there's any clue to his whereabouts lying around!"

"Tyson…"

"I'm serious, we leave in five minutes!" Doubtful looks, but temptation was too great "I promise, really, we won't disturb anything!" He could see they were starting to give in "C'mon guys, it's a lifetime chance…"

They sighed, but nodded weakly, and the blunette resisted the urge to cheer.

"C'mon, he's room must be somewhere around here" And he started the stairs, his doubtful partners in crime following slowly. Still, though most of their minds, there was a single thought crossing.

_Kai's **so** going to kill us!_

* * *

She woke up with a groan, her backside hurting and she noted with distaste that she was catching frostbite. Actually, now that she moved, she was covered in snow. Groaning she sat up, cracking her neck soundly and blinking at her surroundings. Memories returned to her like a tidal wave, the explosions, Tala's brooding mood, Bryan, the kiss…

_Don't hate me for this…_

Lizeth got up and shook the snow off her body pretty much the same way a dog got water off its fur, then, clenching her teeth together, she strode towards the remains of the office, eyes gleaming with quite a frightening light. Krystal was talking with Vladimir on the half burnt foyer, probably discussing how to deal with the children, when both spotted her. Some part of her mind noticed with sick satisfaction that Krystal tensed visibly and Vladimir gave a step back.

Lizeth Smildrilova, alias the Wench, was pretty damn pissed off and heads were going to roll, literally, if someone didn't give her answers.

"Where" She didn't even bother to mask her anger, her voice dripping venom.

"The men who attacked, they took them, Itza too" Krystal knew rather well just how powerful the enraged teen before her could be. She had seen it, and she had no intentions of seeing it again.

"I see" Lizeth sneered, it was truly an awful sight, full of loathing and disgust "I should be leaving then… Can't let Red have all the fun, you know?" She smirked at their startled expressions and closed her eyes, concentrating into the flicker of another in her mind.

_Sherak._

_Mistress?_

_Time to kick some ass._

_Heh, I thought you'd never ask!_

She glowed, and before the eyes of two startled adults, she was enveloped into a ball of fire, that quickly disappeared leaving the ground bare where she had been standing, snow past the point of melting.

Someone was going to get a not so pleasant surprise visit from a certain Dragon, and it definitely wouldn't be pretty.

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_Finally! My evil half done plot, as Jen's so fond of saying, is starting to reveal itself! God, I love my work! Ahem, anyway, here are some random facts about this chapter…_

_Liedyanaya Stiena. It means, quite literally, "wall made of ice", which would be the attack Tala used to encapsulate Tyson and himself in the final battle… but that's just speculation from my part. XD_

_On another topic, Itza's scary when she's pissed off! Heh, but she's going to have a hell of a headache for her stunt. Trust me; think of the mother of all hangovers for the pesty blond. And yeah, I made her an elemental for a reason; it shall be fun and entertaining to see her explain things later on._

_The Bladebrakers' sequence is annoying. I just haven't worked with those boys in so long… It's tearing me apart, and yeah, I purposely placed that scenes to break the whole flow of the chapter. It makes the climate more dramatic with the anti-climatic comments… if I make sense. If I don't (which is probably the truth), just… yeah. Oh, and I **am** showing Kai's room in next chapter, that ought to be amusing, Ne? Just how many secrets does our little Phoenix hide?_

_So, that's been quite the long rant, and the only thing I've got left to say is… Review!_


	16. Chapter Sixteen

_(A/N) Yey, I managed to revise all this fic! Man, how could you poor innocent souls stand my horrible grammar for so long? O.o Dark Star beat me upside the head for that, I think she took about sixteen hours to do all… heh, an hour per chapter…_

_:shadowed figure in background snarls out loud. Rieka squeaks:_

_Ahem, I mean… er… read and review?_

_:Dark Start growls:_

_Meep! Oh, and Sherak's character is loosely based on my best friend… XD 'Cause both are just as dorky._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, but I own plot and OC._

* * *

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Sixteen, Beasts Within._**

Tyson took a deep breath, a whisper of doubt crossing his mind before he opened the door, letting himself and the others inside and… they stared.

Sure, it was a bedroom, and they were pretty sure it was Kai's, but it didn't _look_ like Kai's. Or what they thought Kai room _should_ be like.

The room was ample, with a single bed pushed against the far left corner, unmade, with navy covers and sheets. The walls were painted in a light cream color and decorated with poster sized watercolors. Surprisingly enough, four of the six were clearly of the Demolition Boys, Ian, Tala, Bryan and Spencer, looking much younger, blurring into their respective bit beast, though they looked different from what they had seen in the Worlds. They lacked the yellow/purple combination of colors, and were rather majestic and more natural. Then there was one with Kai, smirking quite boyishly, while Dranzer's flames half engulfed him, wearing his trademark clothing at the Abby, and, strange enough, one of a girl. The drawing didn't have a bit beast though, instead, the white haired female smiled at the onlooker, crystalline blue eyes sparkling with mirth. Her long white summer dress flowed with the wind, flowing in small waves. A white halo surrounded her, the ethereal glow making her look rather cute. There was a desk at the other corner of the room, right under the window, some papers and Beyblade parts thrown carelessly over it. The computer on it was on, the screen flashing the screensaver. A bookshelf rested on the same wall as the corridor door, stretching to the corner and bending towards the desk. Various books and magazines filling them, their tittles in various languages, though a good part of them were in Russian. There was a small night table next to his bed, with an empty glass of water and a small lamp. At the feet of the bed, immaculately placed, was an electric guitar that screamed _touch me_ to whoever saw it. There were a few posters too, of rock bands, and one particularly disturbing one of a man in red pointing a gun to the onlooker, sunglasses sliding down his nose to show two crimson eyes.

It was, quite frankly, everything that Kai was, but not what they knew about him.

"Wow" Was all Tyson could say, voicing everyone else's thoughts at the moment.

And then they met Rogue.

From under the bed, woken by the sudden racket, emerged a German Shepard no older than two months, eyes sparkling and half wrapped in what suspiciously seemed Kai's scarf. The small pup looked at the sudden new comers and started barking loudly, showing off his new teeth, looking at them with his small ears flat. It was brown in color, leaning on black, with clear chocolate eyes and a completely adorable look. The five teens were slightly taken aback by the sudden appearance of the dog, considering they were now pretty sure it was a scarf it was wrapped on. Kai's _favorite_ scarf.

"Um, Rogue?" Tyson asked tentatively, the small thing wouldn't reach not even his knee, but he was slightly nervous by the racket it was making.

He reached a hand to stroke the small beast, when it turned and tried his new teeth on the startled teen. Tyson gave a slight cry of pain, pulling back his hand and glaring at the small thing, who kept growling at him.

"Yeah, definitely Kai's Rogue" The indigo haired teen said darkly, while the others chuckled.

Rei made a point to avoid the little thing, not too comfortable in the presence of a dog, but Hillary simply scooped it up her arms, soothing it with soft words.

"Well, would you look at that…" Max said out loud, half amused, half surprised.

He was peering at some photographs on the bookshelves, a total of eight, all in beautifully carved mahogany frames. The farther left one was a group picture of the Abby working team. There were about twenty or so kids surrounding the team, all dressed in dark blue uniforms, while the younger versions of the Demolition Boys and Kai stood at the front. There was a small green haired boy that was standing far too close to Tala, almost hugging him, indigo colored eyes looking shadowed and full of sorrow. At the back, Boris, Katherine at his right, a tall navy haired red eyed man wearing a business suit and a short indigo haired man with bright purple eyes. Almost everyone was smirking at the camera, and at a corner of the photo there was a small legend in golden letters. _Valkov Abby, Blader X project, 1999._The next photograph was of Kai as a younger child, sitting on a park bench, making a face at whatever the white haired girl next to him was saying. There was only a date on the photograph, _March 21st, 1999_. The next ones were portraits of the Demolition Boys and the white haired girl, all of them showing various degrees of amusement at being taken. Tala in particular showed a strange mirth-filled expression, eyes clear and twinkling. The last one was of a couple, the woman being Katherine and the man the tall blunette from the first one. They were standing together, both smirking with light amusement as they held hands discretely. They were Kai's parents.

"You know, I'd never thought Bryan could smile" Rei mused out loud, looking at the photograph of said blader, who looked about two years younger, smiling lightly at the camera, eyes calm and serene "He looks like a completely different person"

"I didn't know he could paint so well" Kenny mused out loud, looking closely at one of the various watercolors. They all turned to face him, surprised "_Bryan Kuznestov, 2002" He read out loud, pointing to the signature under Tala's portrait._

"You're kidding me!" The others crowded around the paintings, and sure enough, in Latin characters, there was the signature. _Bryan Kuznestov, 2002._

"Wow… that guy must be like, the nicest person on the planet or what" Hillary, who wasn't entirely sure who Bryan was, pointed out with a slight beam "I mean, giving away such pieces of art is kinda… well, thoughtful. He and Kai must been really close"

Those comments got the rest sweat dropping at the memories of the _nicest person on the planet_ and the glares that showed how _close_ he was with Kai. _Yeah, right._ Fortunately, or unfortunately, as they were watching the watercolors, Tyson bumped against the table, unsettling the mouse and thus dispelling the screensaver on the computer. They stared.

Various internet windows were open, maps of Siberia, news, weather charts, it seemed like Kai had been running a deep investigation. On the desk, among the disarray of papers, there was a small notebook with a few unfinished thoughts written. And, surprise, surprise, it seemed to be about the Demolition Boys.

_Tala.- Empathy. Ice elemental. Wolborg-Anuk. No hatred. Emotional ties. Irritation tics. Spiders…_

_Bryan.- Undefined. High emotional distress. Tactical skills. Detachment issues. Chocolate carvings?_

_Ian.- Undefined. Evasion of reality under stress. Spying skills. Family issues. Allergic to strawberries… (Yeah, new torture device, feed the Shrimp with strawberries, real dramatic)._

_Spencer.- Undefined. Manipulation of information and situations. Strategist. Complete detachment from situations. Hates hot climate…_

_Lizeth.- …PMS? Bryan as a bodyguard? A mean left hook?_

_Maritza.- Bigger, meaner PMS…_

_Omi.- Psychic, Telepath. Light Elemental. Trust issues… Naïve. Defiantly naïve…_

_I need coffee._

_Siberia. November. Religion?_

_Screw that, I need a beer._

_Why am I writing that down? …I need a life._

_Ramstein's new song sucks…_

"You know, something really, really fishy's going on…" Tyson concluded as if he had revealed the greatest mystery in the world.

The others sighed, choosing to ignore his theatrics, though all of them were quite worried about the situation.

With a sigh, Hillary placed the small pup down in his makeshift bed and they closed the door, leaving everything mostly as they had found it.

* * *

"Oh… _fuck_" Itza groaned as she came around, growling low on her throat as the splitting headache settled in her temples. 

She knew it was the aftermath of excess usage of her power, but damn it, knowledge didn't make it less painful. Sitting up, she noticed they were locked in a small, dark room. The sarcastic part of her mind that never shut up pointed out how convenient it was that she wasn't claustrophobic. The others were thrown as carelessly as she was on the empty room, and wincing as her back protested she stood up and went to wake them. That's when she noticed that neither Lizeth nor Tala were in the room, and something cold settled in the pit of her stomach.

"Goody" Bryan scowled as he knocked his knuckles against the thick walls.

"Any suggestions?" Ian asked out loud, eyeing the metal door with distaste.

"Sit and wait? Boris' been planning this for long, he won't do anything quick" Spencer rolled his eyes as he dropped to the floor, leaning against a wall "Damned bastard's gonna take his sweet time"

Nothing else was said, and a gloomy, foretelling silence settled in the small cell-like room.

* * *

He loved the feeling of freedom after so long. And his Mistress surely had an athletic physique, she could put up with his presence assuming control for long periods of time. The thrill of having a physical body once more was something the Mighty Lord of Fire would never tire of. So what if genre was wrong, he could _touch_, the feel of snow melting under the weight of 'his' feet, the cutting edge of the winds against 'his' arms… 

So what if she would be mighty pissed off when she woke…

_When I wake? I'm mighty pissed right now!_ The known voice screeched in his mind, the feeling he was being glared at picking at the back of his neck. _You take care of my body, you bloody psycho, that's something very valuable you're dealing with here!_ Sherak rolled 'his' eyes. _Yes, yes, no need to yell. I've survived three millennia, I'm sure I can deal with a few humans, right?_ There was a soft snort. _And that's why you're stuck in lizard form, sealed away into a Beyblade bit, taking orders from a sixteen year old, right?_ Silence, then. …s_hut up. The lizard has feelings you know!_ Although he couldn't see it, he could bet his scales she rolled her eyes. _Yes, I'm braking your poor, sensible heart, now get in there and get my friends out! Or I'm stuffing you back into that coin, again._ Growling out loud, the fire spirit pulled a spectacular sulk as he moved silently through the woods surrounding the warehouse.

_I could have spent eternity in that lovely coin, _a guard feel unconscious at 'his' feet, _after all, those are antiquities, they are worth a fortune and really, _right, left, dodge, kick, another man unconscious,_ a peaceful eternity it would have been. _With utter distaste, Sherak turned the man around to get a proper look at him._ But nooo, you gotta help the girl in trouble, you gotta save the poor dear who can't defend herself. _Grabbing a pair of binoculars, 'he' focused on the warehouse, watching how security had tightened considerably. _Defenseless my ass!_ Lying low on the ground, he considered going in silently, then figured it was too much effort and that he would end up blowing the place anyway. He grinned evilly. _Admit it, Lizard breath, I've got you whipped._ The Fire Lord scowled darkly. _Shut up!_ And with a final huff, flames surrounded his host's body, rolling around him and melting the snow until the red earth below became visible. _You know you love me._ He started walking towards the building, knowing the guards would be thrown off by his display of power. _Yes, but that doesn't mean I like to put up with you._

Lizeth, from the comfort of her own corner in his mind, had the nerve to snicker.

* * *

They didn't bother to undress the redhead before stuffing him into the tank, the wires connecting with the implants under his skin through his clothing. Their boss had explained that his body worked twice as fast as the normal human, and the paralyzing toxin would be flushed down his system soon. And it wouldn't be pretty if the redhead woke prematurely. 

The black haired teen watched the procedure with disinterest, crimson eyes flat. After all, her master had just all but ignored her in favor of the brat! Ha, like he was any more important than her! Silently fuming and glaring bloody murder at the now encapsulated teen, the possessed girl plotted ways of killing off the competition for her master's attention. Her eyes flickered to the man, and she grinned insanely, filled with sick adoration. She _lived_ for him, unfortunately, he didn't exactly reciprocating to her attentions.

Sometimes she felt like she was nothing more than a tool for him.

But, he _had_ been the one to give her the nice body she was possessing at the moment, even if the brat inside it recoiled and fought for it. So, he had to like her, even in the tiniest bit.

Black Dranzer, or Drizzar as she liked to call herself, heaved a sigh.

* * *

The silence was boring and Itza was sure that she had counted the bricks of that wall more times than it was healthy. How the heck could the other three be so calm about it? Ian was apparently asleep, head hung as he snored softly. Bryan had his eyes fixed on his hands, while Spencer stared flatly at the wall before him. She idly wondered if they were trying to kill them of boredom. 

And then the back wall blew into pieces, raising a cloud of smoke, and efficiently getting them out of their trance like state.

They pressed against the door wall, snarling at the cloud as a lone figure stepped from it.

A lone, familiar figure.

"Lizeth?" Ian's disbelieving cry as the 'female' stepped into the room made 'her' smirk. Bryan's eyes narrowed at the glowing red eyes.

"Sherak" He snarled, bearing his teeth in warning.

"Give the kid a price!" It was… _disturbing_ to see Lizeth's body being so… _cheerful_. Albeit, it was dorky cheerfulness, but nonetheless there "See? My girl's smart enough to pick up the brilliant ones"

"Get out, now" Lavender eyes narrowed dangerously, but Sherak shrugged.

"Hey, pipe it down Mister, I'm here to save your hide after all" A black eyebrow was risen as 'she' clicked two black talons together "'Sides, she can't control my power alone. So, let's make the best of what we have, ne?" Smirking, s/he raised a hand to point at the door they were pressing to "I'd move out of the way if I were you" And without another pretense of a warning, a fireball blasted the wall to ashes.

The black haired fe/male sauntered over, ignoring the disbelieving looks s/he was getting. Stopping at the corridor, s/he looked at the four teens with a risen eyebrow.

"What are you waiting for? A written invitation? C'mon Red's somewhere around here"

* * *

He grinded his teeth together. He was a patient teen, really, he was. He put up with Tyson and whatever he came up with on a daily basis and had yet to kill someone. He was really starting to fit the 'nice guy' role model and all. At the moment, though, Kai Hiwatari was pulling a spectacular bastard number as he glared daggers at the pilot of the 'copter. 

"But…"

"Fly it" Flat stare, death glare. The man swallowed hard before nodding slowly.

"Alright sir"

The engine roared to life, and the helicopter soared the grey skies. Inside, clutching Nyx's pendant tightly, Kai sighed.

_You just wait… I'm coming, Omi, I'm coming._

* * *

He leaned against a wall, a splitting headache torturing his temples. The faint dark glow around him flickered on and off as he tried to regain control of himself. Opening his eyes with effort, Boris gaze traveled to the lone figure inside the tank, mouth setting into a thin line. His spine tensed at the presence of another, eyes flickering to the ceiling for a moment, before he settled them on the black haired girl across the room. Grimacing slightly, he shuddered and took a decision. 

"Capitan" A man in white, who was watching the teen wearily, snapped his head towards him, straightening. Boris smiled grimly "Take all the remains of your squadron and the last of the civilians and get out of here. Once you cross the fifty mile line, you're relieved of your obligations"

"But-"

"That was an order, Capitan" Wine colored eyes flashed dangerously, the dark glow appearing steadily around him "I don't need useless witnesses here. Now go" The man seemed doubtful, and Boris bared his teeth "_Now!_"

The man scrambled out of his sight, the room finally empty in moments. Crimson eyes raised to meet his, lips twisting wryly.

"For someone who's dead set on his plans, you're quite bipolar, _Lord_" Pearly white teeth were revealed in a smirk as wine eyes narrowed at the title "You're not starting to regret this, are you? After all, this is the closure we need to move on"

"Move on… hn" The man shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, before frowning "Isn't she fighting back? I recall her being quite powerful in her own right" His own lips twisted into a smirk as the female scowled "Save your energy and be ready, they will be here soon enough"

"Yes, but are you ready? My, if I didn't know better I would say you're doubtful _Lord_" The unrestrained growl of annoyance caused her to laugh.

The sound bounced around the empty room, a high pitched scream resonating hidden in between her laughter. They were most likely going to die, but the bastard refused to give in. Smirking slightly, she shook her head, ears perking up at the sounds of explosions.

But wasn't that stubbornness what had dragged her towards him so many years ago?

Chuckling lowly, Drizzar stood, walking towards the door, ready to face their opponents.

_At least we know falling feels like flying… if it's even for just an instant._

* * *

Another man fell at the fe/male's feet, unconscious. Dusting his/her hands, s/he grinned at the startled looks s/he was getting. 

"If you're Sherak, then we're Lizeth?" Ian asked curiously as they recovered their blades from an adjacent room.

"Bitching about my lack of self control in a corner of my mind" The Fire Lord paused for a second, crimson eyes glassing over as he listened to said female's rants "I stand corrected, bitching _loudly_ in the foremost of my mind" He grinned "She's cute when she's pissed off"

As Bryan recovered Falborg, he grunted.

"Let's get Red and hightail out of here, so that Mr. Sunshine can leave" He gave the Dragon a withering glare.

"Someone's possessive" The grin was quite disturbing as Sherak balanced his own blade in the tip of his/her clawed finger, mocking Bryan "That's cute in a strange, obsessive way"

It was strange to see the usually passive face contort into such a vast range of emotions, most of them usually unheard of coming from Lizeth. Sherak was powerful, that much was clear, but his lack of seriousness towards the situation was starting to fry Bryan's nerves and ticking Spencer off. Ian liked him, reasoning that it made sense that Lizeth's bit beast was a radical opposite of herself, but it made him wonder about the circumstances that had created such a strong bound between Mistress and Sacred Spirit. Cut out of his musings by Itza's shock attacks, about twenty more guards fell to the ground in a heap of limbs. The only entrance to the main room in the warehouse was huge and now cleared of all security. They stared at the door for a moment, before it was blown into pieces from the inside. Coughing the smoke that rose from the action, all but Sherak, who's eyes stayed trained on the figure at the center of the room, they gave a step back.

"You" A low, silbant hiss as his/her eyes melted into two glowing rubies "_Traitor_"

The smoke cleared enough to see the black haired girl in the center of the equipment filled room. Drizzar smirked at them, lashing out at them with the poisonous black flames. Before she could touch them, though, Sherak erected a curtain of natural fire that dispelled the attack, elongated fangs bared in fury.

"Traitor! One and a thousand times a traitor!" The enraged Fire beast snarled, the red glow around his host's body becoming apparent as his rage clouded his mind.

_Sherak!_ The scream inside his mind was potent as his pent up emotions send a mental slash to Lizeth's psyche. Recovering some of his composure, the Fire spirit seethed as Drizzar had the nerve to smirk.

"Traitor? Me?" She grinned, teeth bared "That's rich coming from you" With a snort, she rose an eyebrow, taunting "But enlighten me, dear, why am I a traitor?"

"You took in a tainted one! You knew he was unworthy, but you chose him anyway!" Sherak was ticked, trying to control his rage so as to not hurt Lizeth.

"You're one to talk" The dark spirit mused out loud, smirk widening "Or is your host not a dark one by nature?"

"She was alone" His eyes flared up with anger "There's a difference between loneliness and wickedness"

"So you say" The female shrugged "Mine was not only alone, he was afraid. I merely offered him the tools to solve his situation"

"By attacking others?" Sherak asked incredously "By leaving others lonely and afraid? By helping him kill an empath?" S/he bared his/her fangs, snarling out loud "You know better than anyone that was a crime. But then again, you just enjoy corrupting them, don't you? Gaia's gift to humans, you always resented it, didn't you?"

"Don't you dare to tell me what I feel!" The screech of fury tore from the possessed body before them, limbs shaking with hatred.

"No, I don't" Sherak's voice was steady and cold "I can't tell you what to feel, because you _can't_ feel. That was the price you paid, wasn't it? Drizzar… or should I say Black Dranzer?" Three teens behind her/him gasped at the sudden revelation, eyes trained on the female before them "You sold your soul, unlike Cylah and the rest, who were forced to accept it, you embraced it. The taint of humans, the dirt… You're so miserable, I can't even hate you"

Suddenly the female glowed black, the beast within coming out from the confines of its body, its host falling back limply. Black Dranzer screeched, spreading her wings in anger. Lizeth glowed too, and Sherak emerged, leaving the female fall slack against Bryan's awaiting arms. The fire dragon roared, raising into battle high above them as the tainted phoenix went against him. Lizeth groaned lowly, clutching Bryan's arms as a wave of dizziness attacked her. As she opened her eyes, black and endless, she smirked slightly at the worried faces around her. Shaking her head slightly, she stood, but the faint smile vanished as she looked up at the battle.

"Call out your beasts, Sherak doesn't stand a chance against that thing" Her voice, husky and low by nature seemed even deeper as she tried to come up with a way to help her beast.

"Oh _shit_" Ian's expression called their attention, from the huge tangle of tails, wings, talons and fangs above them. As they turn to face the Shrimp, they found him knelt next to the girl that had hosted Black Dranzer "Omikami" He stated a bit more louder than he had intended, making Bryan and Spencer splutter.

As they rushed towards her, Itza and Lizeth watched with no little curiosity as Ian cradled the unconscious female. Her hair was back to it's impressive white color, flowing behind her in a disarray, while her skin was shallow and too pale to be healthy. With a slightly pained moan she opened her eyes, blinking her clear eyes of the drowsiness that surrounded her mind. As Ian's face cleared before her, she smiled softly, breathing in relief. It was short lived, though, as she sat up, eyes widening at the fierce battle above them.

"We have to stop her" She whispered anxiously "We have to stop her before she kills Tala" Wincing, she gave them a desperate look "Drizzar is stealing Tala's energy to power up her attacks. We have to stop her before she drains him dry" Standing shakily, she pushed away from Ian, blue eyes narrowing with determination as the white glow flickered around her, soothing her own wounds and somewhat calming the others "Attack the armor, it's what enables her to steal the energy…"

Numbly following her commands, Falborg's Strovlitz slashed one of Black Dranzer's wings, but it regenerated immediately. They soon lost conscience of the white haired female as they tried their best to call their beasts to attack, the Beyblade irritably spinning at their feet, unable to aid the fight. Omikami took a deep breath, eyes closing as she concentrated on finding her center. Visualizing the battle before her, she tried to recall the faint auras of both, Masters and Beasts, while feeling and reading the two new ones. Black Dranzer had no presence, a void of life, an experiment gone horribly wrong, the price of a mistake. _There._ Opening her eyes, the white light surged from her, the psychic slash connecting squarely with the hell bent beast, making it screech in agony. The white haired girl smiled at her companions, before passing out in exhaustion. They had little time to help her, as the now enraged beast attacked them fiercely.

Unknown to them, a more dramatic battle was taking place in the back of the room, hidden in the shadows that cloaked the tank, it's occupant and it's retainer.

* * *

He walked towards the tank, hiding in the shadows as the fight outside raged on. He knew what was coming, he had planed it, and at some level he embraced it. For a moment, though, as he raised a hand to touch the crystal, he wondered if this was worth it, if he should go on… Shaking his head again at his musings, he hid behind the tank, embracing the shadows around him as the front door was blown inwardly. 

All theories, faith and promises were going to be tested in a second, and he wasn't sure he was ready to face the results. Regardless of it, he waited.

They were good, as good as he remembered them being, loyal to each other, powerful. Drizzar wouldn't be able to beat them if they were concentrated enough, but tension was weighting them down and the black phoenix was gaining advantage. Boris pressed his forehead against the cold crystal of the tank, the black glow around him growing steadily as he acted like the nexus between Tala and Drizzar. His eyes half lidded, he smirked at the slumbering Tala.

"Can you hear them? They're fighting now, but in the same way you were supposed to lose against the Wind Dragon, they will lose to her" The voice was soft, a mere whisper that mocked the unconscious teen "And you know why they'll lose? Because it's you who they're fighting against. They will be overwhelmed by your power flowing through her, and she will destroy them, or…" His eyes flashed, the darkness around him surrounding the tank completely "Or they will beat her, destroying her and killing you in the process. Either way, they will lose and you will die" Narrowing his eyes, he caressed the cold crystal of the tank, in a mocking of endearment "And you will die, boy, because you're weak"

* * *

It hurt. The chill was settled deep within him as he watched helplessly as the battle started and felt as drop by drop his life force was drained away, stolen by the vicious creature that hid behind Omikami's face. He willed his body to move, to react, but he was too tired and too weakened to do anything. Tala growled struggling with his mind to regain control, when he heard it. The voice, a hissing whisper, far softer than he remembered being, but the voice was the same. 

Boris was next to him.

_Stop it, you're hurting me._

The words hurt even more than the helplessness of seeing his friends suffering, because they reminded him of the only time he had doubted. A shiver ran up and down his spine as the dark feeling of the other's presence settled around him, and he felt disgust at himself for finding comfort in it. Despite the anger, the betrayal, the fear, something warmth taunted him in the back of his mind. Something that soothed his worries and made him almost relax against the draining and the man next to him. The golden glow in his subconscious, the intoxicating feeling of belonging, it was summoned by the external presence, the foreign touch in his mind…

_Stop it please… it hurts so much…_

Those were his memories, the ones no one would ever take away from him.

But there was something lurking behind them, something that dwelled even deeper in his own mind, something that rebelled against the pleasant intrusion in his mind, a sparkle of something magical that wouldn't stay hidden anymore. It was another memory, one that reminded him quickly of who he was and what he fought for.

It was the memory of his mother.

_Stop it!_

Shaken out of his sudden slumber, Tala felt the jolt of reality tugging at him as he forced the man out of his man with relative ease, shoving him away and closing his psyche from further attacks. He watched with little satisfaction as the purple haired man was taken by surprise by his sudden attack and was sent flying away from him, falling behind some of the computers, unconscious. Concentrating in the battle, he tried to find a way to scape the void of his own mind. Looking within himself, he started to browse through memories, experience, feelings, emotions, thoughts and dreams, all that formed who he was, all that could define him, those moments that had made him who he was… He was almost there, touching the source of the light, what kept everything together when he heard the scream.

_Stop, no, stop it!_

His concentration shattered, his mind rearranged itself in a mess as he wildly looked outside to see what was wrong. What he saw, made him lost that little fickle attempt at self control he possessed, the source of light tainting with his anger releasing something that had stayed hidden until then. Power.

_Stop… I said **STOP!**_

* * *

Taking the idea from Omikami, Itza charged herself to prepare one seriously powerful thunder strike against the damned beast, hoping to weaken it or stun it long enough for the others to destroy it. With the volt ready, energy so concentrated it was burning her, she let out the burst of power. 

Unfortunately, Drizzar saw it coming, and used her wings to not only block it, but backfire it. Itza, too drained by the single attack to properly react, watched helplessly as the burst of energy sped towards her and looked away, raising her arms in a veil attempt to protect herself. Spencer managed to knock her out of the way in time, though he did got brushed by the attack that blew away part of the wall of the warehouse. They both groaned as he sat up and pulled her with him, shaking his head to clear it.

"Are you o…key…" Spencer's voice died in his throat as he finally caught sight of the tank and it's occupant.

The others noticed as well and even the beasts seemed to stop as the tank with Tala inside glowed a fierce blue light. There were cracks in the crystal as the liquid pulsated with a light of its own, the redhead's eyes still closed. A low grumble in what seemed slow motion as the tank smashed, the strange liquid inside splashing around as crystals and debris flew everywhere, Tala glowing in a steady, eerie blue glow. The cables from whatever experiment they were performing still attached to his spine, his clothing soaked and his eyes lost, the redhead seemed completely oblivious.

**_"Stop it!"_** It was a thundering voice, one belonging to something far beyond their comprehension. It was the voice of the Winter Spirit.

A very pissed off Winter Spirit.

**

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_ **

_Phew! That was difficult! Sherak's a pain to deal with and Drizzar is absolutely insane XD. I have, yet again, managed to find a way to shift responsibility away from Boris, thus redeeming him from his crimes! Go me! Ahem, anyway, to clear up a few things. The Master/Mistress-Bit Beast/Sacred Spirit relationship like Sherak/Lizeth relationship is, to put a better example, like that of a Yami and a Hikari in Yu-Gi-Oh. How? While one of them is in control, the other lurks in the background, observing, but not capable of acting, and vice versa. And yeah, the lizard's quite a prick XD. Drizzar is controlling Boris, for those of you who didn't catch on it, because well… once this whole mess is over I shall explain it in an author note since I doubt it'll be clear enough in the story… sorry for that. Also, I'm posting the so needed timeline for this story in next chapter, since many things come into focus afterwards._

_Itza… well, Itza's acting on adrenaline alone. Don't worry, all the stress and the situation will eventually catch on and she will most likely snap at Tala for it, gotta love that blonde bitch… like Kai said, "bigger, meaner PMS…" :dies of laughter: And yeah, any of you guessed that Omikami was the girl kidnapped? Chibi-Tala plushy if did. What else, what else… all relating to supernatural events will be explained in the next two or three chapters, so… The only thing I can say is that the next chapter is a condensation of Tala's life, that it's long and that it's almost done…_

_Special thanks to **Dark Star**, aka Ritzy, for rereading and revising this story up to this point, the poor girl ended up cross eyed by my mistakes:winces: Kudos girl. Oh, and special notice to whoever figures out which anime is the poster in Kai's room from... pretty darn ovbious if you ask me XD_

_Oh, and yeah, Tala sure is scary when he's pissed off… really, really pissed off… XD On a side note, there's a pic that started the whole creative process of LtF, it's japanese fanart by someone I don't know, but if you want me to email it to you, leave your email in your review (ex. gabrielthefallenathotmaildotcom)._

_That should be all, so, press the wonderful purple button and make me happy! Comments, flames and questions welcome!_


	17. Chapter Seventeen

_(A/N) MONSTER chapter! XD I got LadyFiction to beta the first half of this, and then my beloved Dark Star finished it. It's… 64 pages on the last count, almost 28,500 words. Wow. I've been working on this chapter for three months, so I would be able to post it in time… good thing I did, ne? Hopefully it'll shred a bit more light into the whole Tala-Boris relationship and onto his character as a whole. I really, really want you to review this, 'cause it's been a load of work. Oh, and in case you're wondering, yeah, I like Boris, he's a cute plot development trick. Also, to xXCrimsonShadowsXx, yeah, Sherak and Drizzar are corny, but not precisely because they have a past together. Basically, for a certain crime Drizzar allowed Boris to commit (coughALEXEIcough), all bit beasts despise her. And when I say all, I mean it. She's the black sheep among the Sacred Spirits. Er, yeah._

_Songs to listen with this chapter? Plenty, here're some of the ones I used as inspiration to write, not in order I'm afraid._

_"Hijo de la Luna" by Mecano, "Adam's Song" by Blink 182, "Lover I Don't Have to Love" by Bright Eyes, "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera, "Dance of the Sun Priest" by Cuzco, "Goddess of the Moon" by Cuzco, "Temple of Remembrance" by Cuzco, "Once upon a December" from Anastasia's Soundtrack, "My Lover's Gone" by Dido, "Thank You" by Dido, "They came from the City" by Elan, "For Aragorn and Arwen" by Enya, "One by One" by Enya, "Pui Che Poui" by Eros Ramazzotti and Cher, "Iris" by Goo goo dolls, "My DSMBR" by Linkin Park, Kelli Ali and Mickey P, "Stole" by Kelly Rolland, "The One" by Limp Biskit, "In the End" by Linkin Park, "Pushing Me Away" by Linkin Park, "Breaking the Habit" by Linkin Park, "Numb" by Linkin Park, "Love Profusion" by Madonna, "Nothing Really Matters" by Madonna, "Numai Tu" by O-Zone, "Crash and Burn" by Savage Garden, "Two Beds and a Coffee Machine" by Savage Garden, "Gunning Down Romance" by Savage Garden, "Inevitable" by Shakira, "Show Me Love" by t.A.T.u., "30 minutes" by t.A.T.u., "Clowns (Can you see me now?)" by t.A.T.u., "Divano" by Era, "Misere Mani" by Era, "Barcelona Nights" by Ottmar Liebert and Luna Negra, "Chi Mai" by Ennio Morricone, "Listen To Your Heart" by DHT (both, slow and techno versions), "Porcelain" by Moby and "Busindre Reel" by Hevia._

_Many different styles and genres, but they inspired me and well… see what came out of it._

_This chapter is less than a second long in real time, as everything happens inside Tala's psyche. Basically, they are inside his mind at all times, thus time has stopped for them. I hope it makes things clear._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, but I own the plot and the original characters._

**

* * *

**

**_Learning To Fly._**

****

**_Chapter Seventeen, Through The Eyes Of The Wolf Child._**

**_"Stop it!"_**

Suddenly he flashed in the eerie light, and his teammates were blinded by it. When they could see again, they were standing in a black void. They heard a Child laughing, and they turned, and stared.

A six year old Tala was kneeling with his back to them. He glowed in the same eerie glow they had seen before, and was intently looking at something in-between his hands. Suddenly he turned to face them and smiled softly.

"Who are you?" He tilted his head to the side, curious. "Are you here to play with me? Or did you come to see him?"

The five teens stood silent, staring in shock at the ghost the Child point to. They _knew_ it was Tala, even though they couldn't see him, as a blizzard surrounded him. In the distance, they could see his eyes flashing. Child Tala whimpered, and they saw he was cradling the strange pendant Tala had been wearing since the incident in Krystal's Office.

"You come to see him, didn't you?" Before they could answer, he sighed, pointing towards the blizzard. "He doesn't know it anymore… he's going to give up." He smiled sadly. "Maybe if you know who he is, he will remember it… and he'll let me in again…"

The Child stood, and the sapphire glowed as it floated in-between his hands, the blizzard surrounding Tala glowed in recoil, and a single snowflake flew lost towards them, growing as it neared them. In the center, they saw an image moving, and suddenly they heard _their_ Tala's voice.

**_I don't want to be alone._**

And then they saw, with each new snowflake that came out of the blizzard, part of his memories, of who he was. And slowly, his voice remembering what was happening, what had happened.

**_I wasn't always lonely... When I was little, even if I was an only Child, I always found someone to play with..._**

The steady beating of a heart, the enveloping warmth of a furry embrace. A soft, velvety wetness awoke the Child from his peaceful slumber. Blinking, he smiled at _Left paw_. The small, grey cub barked playfully, and the Child, who couldn't be older than three, laughed. Looking up at the wolf he was nestled against, he bowed, thanking it for the rest.

**_The first thing my mother ever taught me was that the world is a garden. A beautiful garden we have to share._**

The Child laughed as the small cub bit his sleeve, trying to snatch the cloth away. He mock wrestled with it, marveling the strength of such a young creature.

"Tala"

The Child let go of the cub as he heard the call, standing and turning towards a clearing. A beautiful redhead woman was standing there, hands on her hips, amused, yet gentle smile on her face. Despite wearing common cloths, she held a regal air in her clear silver eyes. Her long red hair, wrapped behind her in a tight braid gave her a mystical air. A glowing blue jewel hung from her neck, pulsating as if it were alive.

The Child ran towards his mother, leaving behind his wolf play mates. He hugged her, laughing still, and she caressed his hair lovingly.

"Come, Father should arrive soon, and it's almost time for dinner" The woman's voice was soft, like a caress of the breeze.

The Child nodded, and followed his mother towards the small village, though he waved at the wolves.

_Scar_, the alpha male of the pack, howled powerfully as both humans left.

**_Thus, I saw the world as a playground and the wolves as friends..._**

"Mom?" A three – something year old Tala looked up at his mother, showing a small ice figure, that resembled a wolf in a sitting position. The woman smiled.

"Yes... but look, you made it look like a guarding dog" She set her cooking spoon down, and turned her full attention on her son "Wolves are proud. Think of Scar when you try..." She covered the small figure with her own hands, and they glowed "See?"

The figure had changed, now it showed a wolf in a standing position, watching everything almost arrogantly. The ice carving was highly detailed, and it almost seemed alive. The Child smiled.

**_Our gift, our secret, was something my mother cherished immensely._**

"And then, Anuk promised he would protect the young girl" The woman's voice was melodious as she retold the ageless story.

"And they sealed the pact with a jewel carved from ice" The Child ended the story, laughing.

"My, I bet you know it almost by heart!" The tone was affectionate as she ruffled his hair "I don't know why you keep asking me to tell you the story anymore"

"But no one can tell it like you do mom! Even aunt Saille can't do it so well, she forgets all the important details" The Child smiled, excitedly.

"Does she now?" The woman raised an eyebrow, and then shook her head "Go play with the pack, Tala... I have work to do"

**_She used to tell me stories about our origin, and where did our gifts come from... I cherished those moments, because even when I didn't know what it was I could sense the dread growing within her._**

The Child laughed, and then ran away towards the forest, never minding the harsh climate.

**_Now, my Father may have not understood us, or how we saw the world, but he understood nature, and he respected it dearly._**

"C'mon boy. You're going with me today"

The man stood in the doorway as the Child slowly awoke. He was tall and burly, like all the men of the north. His hair was short and blond, and his eyes two stern grey mirrors as gave the Child a chiding glance. The four year old boy dressed quickly, knowing his father had a short temper.

The Child followed his father through the snowed path, looking up at the stars in awe. It was early, so early only the fishermen moved in the near darkness of the morning. He followed his father and the rest of the group towards the shore.

The village had been built on a peak that overlooked the great North Sea, but the fishermen had made an efficient port, that in summer received the great ships that crossed the ocean, and in winter, when no ship could pass through the frost, the men in the village went to fish the stray masses in the sea.

The men prayed to the sea. They thanked it for the feast it offered them, and for the support it was. Then, sailing in small two person boats, the group took off.

**_He wasn't particularly loving, or gentle. He was a man of the sea, and men like him knew there are better ways of expressing things than speaking._**

The boat the Child was in rode the upcoming storm with difficulty, but even as the skies flashed, and the sea roared around them, the Child was not afraid. He sat in the small boat, between his father and another man, and watched as they wrestled the waves, with the relative ease born from experience.

He smiled.

**_But our secret tortured my mother, too. Because when the fish started to leave, and the village started to suffer as food become scarce, she felt it had been her fault... and she set to right things herself._**

"Mom?"

The five year old Child followed his mother until they reached the highest point in the peak. The village could be seen in the distance, and the atmosphere felt strange. The woman smiled.

"Shh... it's time love" Her voice was gentle, but her eyes were saddened "You are to take my place when I am no more, Tala. And when that time comes, you will have to pay respects to Anuk. Now, quiet, I need to concentrate"

The Child nodded, though his young mind couldn't comprehend the meaning behind those words, at least not completely. He did know what was about to happen, and he waited patiently. The woman walked until the edge of the cliff, and held her hands in a praying manner.

"I beg and greet thee. For I am Nied, daughter of Rashid, son of Athol, son of Haggard, daughter of Merle, daughter of Galyak, daughter of Irina, daughter of Vladimir, son of Mikhail, son of Ayandie, daughter of Freya, son of Isa, your chosen servant" The woman raised her hands as she finished her introduction, and she was covered in a blue glow as her pendant levitated until it floated between her hands "I greet thee Mother Sea, and I beg you to care for my people. I greet thee, Father Sky, and I beg you to shred light into our hearts. I greet thee, my Brother Wolf, my Sister Breeze, and I beg you to protect my land" As she spoke, the weather started to get wild, the waves crashing powerfully against the rock, and the sky darkening "But I raise my voice to reach you, Pillar of our Land, Lord of the Winter Frost, Anuk. I greet thee, and beg thee, to open the gate to your lair"

She was enveloped by the light again, and her appearance changed drastically as she reappeared again. Her hair loosed from its hold in the braid, and it changed color, turning bright silver, the color of the glaciers. Her simple, practical clothing dissolved into long white dressed that touched the snow covered ground, imitating it's color so perfectly it was impossible to say where the dress ended and the snow started. The brewing storm grew louder, and the Child, following his mother's gaze, saw a line of ice rising in the waters.

A bridge.

Nied, Tala's mother, smiled and gave her son a meaningful glance.

"Wait for me..."

And she started walking down the path of ice, until she was lost from sight.

**_But my mother's pleas went unheard. That winter, half the village left for good, and those who stayed, suffered from one of the harsher seasons in the history of our land._**

The five year old Child stood in a window of his mother's tavern, looking at the road somewhat sadly.

People he had known since birth were packing the last of their property, and already taking part of the trail of people and animals that went towards inland.

"Why are they leaving?" His voice was soft, but heavy with sorrow.

"Because they cannot live in this place anymore" A redhead woman, with stern looking violet eyes, told the Child with a harsh look "When humans lose their will to fight and their sense of pride, they are unavoidably doomed to roam the land in search of happiness, without ever actually finding it"

The Child tilted his head to the side at his aunt's words, trying to grasp their meaning, when another voice sounded in the room.

"Stop confusing the boy, Uath" The woman, leaning against the doorframe, also had red hair, but her eyes were two amused emeralds, and she was much shorter.

"Pah" Uath snorted with a shrug. She was taller than her sisters, and with a rough aura around her, she dressed as a man most of the time, too.

"Your mother's looking for you, dear" The green eyed woman said gently, motioning the Child for the kitchen. She smiled brightly "Dinner's ready"

The children nodded and scurried out of the room, quickening his pace when he passed in front of his taller aunt.

**_Unfortunately, my mother's sisters, my aunts, coming to live with us, trying in their own way to help, did not aid to the already growing tension in our household. They helped to keep us from misery... unknowingly, and slowly, killing my father's pride._**

"Seriously Saille, how is he going to survive all that's coming his way if you and Nied keep pampering him as if he were a baby?"

**_And then father started drinking, to top it all._**

The small Child hid behind in a corner of the darkened room, behind a tall, wooden stand. His father dragged himself with difficulty into to room, falling heavily in a chair. For some reason, the Child decided against revealing himself.

Something felt wrong.

**_My mother would have none of it though, and suddenly, I got to know a completely different side of her. She fought my father fiercely, and from there on, every time they were in the same room, a fight was sure to start. Those were the longest four months I had ever endured..._**

The Child shivered, curling in his hiding place as the fight between his parents raged on. His head swirled with the force of their emotions, and he trembled in an effort to control himself.

"This isn't the way of dealing with things, Mikhail!" The redhead woman snarled, slamming her fists in the table "What of Tala? Uh? What kind of example are you giving your son, walking, no, _crawling_ back home like some errant drunk!"

"At least I'm not a fucking ice whore!" The man's eyes glowed with anger "Where's your goddamned Ice God? Where is he when we need him? I'll tell you where he is, taking a fucking laugh at our expense, that's where he is!"

**_...and yet, in retrospect, they were only a prelude of what was to come._**

The Child ran towards the village, soaked to his bones by the pouring rain. Two of the elder wolves ran with him, making sure he would arrive home safely. Something made him stop at the edge of the forest though, just a few yards behind his house. A black car was parked outside the cabin, and the lights were on. Something cold settled in the pit of his stomach as he edged towards the house slowly, ignoring the howling winds, or the powerful thunder.

**_I had made it a habit to stay clear of the house as much as I could, until that day..._**

He was almost scared out of his skin as the door banged open, and a tall, purple haired man walked out of it, stalking out decidedly. The Child instinctively walked closer, and the man paused as he opened the driver's door. He looked up, and wine colored eyes met the Child's.

**_The day I met Boris Valkov._**

The Child felt a pang of fear rise in his small body as the man sneered at him, before he got into the car and sped away, into the tempestuous night.

The Child followed it with his eyes until it disappeared, then jumped startled as the door of the cabin slammed shut again. He turned and saw his father stumbling down the main street. Fear was suppressed by dread, as he was filled with a bad feeling about the situation. Moving quietly behind his drunken father, he followed him into his mother's tavern.

Walking became an almost impossible affair for the six year old, as the pouring rain seemed to redouble its constant hit against him. He saw his father slip a few times, but by now, he knew better than to get close to him.

**_That, coincidentally, was the day I become an orphan._**

He waited a few moments before working up enough courage to enter.

As he did so, he immediately regretted it. His empath abilities flared up screeching in his mind at the negativity in the room. The two or three remaining patrons in the tavern and his aunts stood back, unconsciously blocking his view.

It didn't matter, he could hear his parents fighting, his father's slurred insulting speech, and his mother's acid, hissing retorts.

"You worthless bitch! Can't do a thing right can you!" His father's husky voice sounded into the small tavern, seconded by a powerful howling thunder.

As he hid behind a man's leg as he watched his father work up a fury. His mother took the backslap stoically, and she received more for it. Tears started to stream down the Child's cheeks as his mother was quickly turned into a ball curling at a corner, his father hitting her savagely. Outside, the storm grew wilder, and the sea roared powerfully. Not a single person inside the tavern dared to move or help the pleading woman, since his father was easily the tallest and strongest man in the small town. No one was stupid enough to challenge him. Another thunder hit, and he shuddered as her mother cried out again.

He had never seen his father so angry before, and he couldn't understand what was going on. His head spun at the intensity of the feelings he was being subjected too, more than half of them weren't even his own.

**_Curiously enough, I wasn't angry, not at my father anyway. No, I tried to figure out what had gone wrong, what could possibly turn my beloved father into such a beast._**

Another powerful fit of thunder, and his father pushed his mother away, stumbling. _Then_ people decided to help, but in his heart he knew it was all too late. He stood in a corner as they carefully took his mother, checked her symptoms and ever so gently moved her back into their house. He followed them and slid into a corner, pretending to melt into the wall as he watched Uath and Saille reproach his mother slightly, all the while tending her wounds.

Something in the way they moved foretold the results of their efforts.

His mother, looking pale and yet still commanding respect, motioned her sisters to leave, and then smiled invitingly to him. The Child, cheeks still warm with tearstains, crawled up to bed, and curled against his mother's chest. Weakly, he felt her arms encircle him.

"Do you remember our oath to Anuk, Tala?" Her voice, though strained, was like a balsam for the Child's over excited nerves. He nodded weakly "I'm going on a long trip soon, love, and I need you to take care of things while I'm gone"

"Are you going to die?" The voice was soft, too aware to come out of such a young throat, and yet the question was laced with innocence.

Nied was silent for a moment, and then her hold on her son tightened slightly.

"Yes"

"Am I going to die with you?" The question sent an ice shard directly though her heart.

"No love, you'll live long, see lots of things, make many friends and die a very happy, old man" Her voice broke as she spoke, and she swallowed back her tears "Listen closely Tala. Listen closely, and don't ever forget. A man will be coming for you soon. Go with him. No matter what Uath or Saille say, no matter what your father tells you, no matter how afraid you are. Leave with that man"

"Why?" He pulled back, looking at his mother's eyes questioningly. He didn't want to leave the only place he had called home.

"Silly boy... do you question the clouds on why they rain? Do you question the wolf on why he howls?" Nied smiled sadly "Don't ask... and don't forget. Anywhere you go, in any situation you may be. Remember I lie within the soft winter breeze, and that it is my embrace you fall into when you fall into the snow covered lands" She gathered him in her arms again, wishing things were different, then gently pushed him away as she caught a coughing fit "Go... you know what you have to do"

The woman took off her beautiful pendant, and placed it in the Child's awed, stretched hands. His mother settled back then, closing her eyes for a second she smiled, sighing.

"I don't want to leave" The Child held the pendant close to his heart and dare not to look at his mother's eyes.

"Sometimes… sometimes it is our duty to do things we would rather not do, Tala" He looked up at her mother's gentle eyes "And that is called love. That's why we hide away, why we don't tell others we are here… that's why we feel alone sometimes, because we love the world, and we do what it's necessary to protect what has been entrusted to us" Looking up at the ceiling, she smiled knowingly "But we're not alone. As long as we love something, as long as we are willing to do everything we can, as long as we give up everything we have to fulfill what we must, we are not alone, _you_ are not alone" The Child nodded, and his mother sighed again "Call in your aunts in your way out. I need to talk to them, before I go"

The Child nodded again, and closed his eyes, forcing back his tears.

**_Brave men do not cry. My father had told me so in various occasions, so, despite knowing in my heart that would be the last time I would see my mother alive, I did not cry._**

The Child ran away from the house, scared, cold and still soaked, as the rain had done nothing but increase it's rate. Having nowhere to go, he tried to go to the cliff his mother had summoned the ice bridge. As he neared it, a flash of thunder illuminated a single figure in the cliff.

His father.

**_But despite his arrogant words, and despite being one of the bravest men I knew, my father cried that night._**

The tall man stood looking at the sea, apparently not minding the chill of the cutting winds, or the force of the water falling over them. Tears poured silently down his cheeks, as he stood firmly against the elements.

"She's not going to make it"

The sound of his voice startled the Child, but then swallowing hard, he replied.

"No, she won't" His voice, surprisingly, held no rancor or hatred.

It was a mere stating of a fact, one that hurt him immensely, but that was no less true. The Child looked at his father questioningly though, as if trying to figure out what would have made him so hateful, despite the fact the Child could _not_ feel hatred.

"Do you hate me, boy?" The man's voice held a tint of bitter awareness "Do you hate the murderer you have as a father?"

"My father's a fisherman" The boy answered firmly "He's a quiet man, and he doesn't like to open up a lot... but I know he loves mother, and me, deep down"

"Perhaps too deep for his own good" His father answered, still not facing him "You're a good boy..."

The Child's vision was almost useless by then, due all the rain, all he could see was the dark shape he knew was his father.

"Your father would have been proud if he could have seen you grow up..."

A clash of thunder, and the shape fell down the cliff.

"Dad!"

The Child ran to the edge, but all he could see below were the dark waters twisting and smashing against the rocks. Falling to his knees, his mother's pendant still in his hands, he let himself cry for the first time since he could remember.

**_For the first time in my life, I knew myself to be alone... and I was afraid._**

He didn't know how long he had stayed under the rain on the cliff, but suddenly the rain stopped pondering against his skin, and he looked up. The tall man from earlier was standing behind him, with a large, black umbrella.

The Child felt fear of the man, yet he remembered his mother's words and swallowing, looked down, submissively. The man pulled the Child harshly upwards, and the Child winced as the man's stank of tobacco. The man started walking away, and the Child followed him quickly, trying to keep up with him at best of his abilities. The man had a long, decided stride, and with his small legs, the Child was almost running at his side. As they reached the Child's cabin, the man stopped abruptly, and glared down at the Child.

No one had ever glared at the Child before, and neither would the Child ever forget the sight of those hateful wine colored eyes.

"Your mother will be buried tomorrow, as soon as the storm lets up. If you have any" He actually sneered at the boy "_Issues_ to solve, you have until the day after tomorrow in the evening to deal with them. I will pick you up then, and I won't give a flying fuck what you're doing, Rascal"

The Child bowed his head again, and nodded. Swallowing harshly, he worked up enough courage to speak up.

"Wh – who are you, sir?" The redhead immediately regretted having spoken, as the man glared even more harshly at him.

"Lieutenant Boris Ivanovich Valkov, Rascal. Now go do whatever the hell you're supposed to be doing" The tone was irritated, and though his empath abilities, the Child felt a wave of bitterness and resentment that made him sick in the stomach.

He ran away from the man, though not it was not from fear, but from a strange mix of disgust and pity. He had never met any human being that irradiated such negativity from its very core.

The man stared as the Child ran away, going back all they had walked and towards the cliff again. Shrugging, he entered the cabin, ready to confront the screeching banshees that were the rascal's relatives.

**_I felt small then, small and insignificant, standing there, watching the ocean and doubting if I would be able to summon the Winter Spirit to aid me. But I remembered my mother's words, and I knew that she wouldn't forgive me if I ever gave up._**

**_So I did the only thing I could. I tried._**

"I beg and greet thee. For I am Tala, son of Nied, daughter of Rashid, son of Athol, son of Haggard, daughter of Merle, daughter of Galyak, daughter of Irina, daughter of Vladimir, son of Mikhail, son of Ayandie, daughter of Freya, son of Isa, your chosen servant" The Child whispered quietly as he watched the ocean directly "I greet thee Mother Sea, and I beg you to care for my people. I greet thee, Father Sky, and I beg you to shred light into our hearts. I greet thee, my Brother Wolf, my Sister Breeze, I beg you to protect my land" To his relief, the pendant that now hung from his neck started pulsating with light, then it raised above his head, and he felt himself being covered with the bright light "But I raise my voice to reach you, Pillar of our Land, Lord of the Winter Frost, Anuk. I greet thee, and beg thee to open the gate to your lair"

He yelled the last command, his voice trying to overpower the howling of the winds. _Please..._ For a second nothing happened, and then the Child was overjoyed for a second as the ice bridge become visible from where he stood. His joy was short lived as he grasped the pendant tightly and he remembered what he was supposed to be doing.

**_That was not easy task, though; I hadn't expected the wind to howl around me, or the ice to crack several times... I also didn't expect the bridge to be so long._**

After what it seemed an eternity of walking against the harsh winds, the Child saw the end of the ice path.

Anuk's temple.

He reached what he thought to be an island, an island made entirely of ice and snow. The path ended in a semi circle of frost peaks that curved inwardly, forming somewhat a scary secluded area. In the very center, there was a huge statue of a wolf sitting on its hindquarters, looking straight ahead.

For some reason, the Child felt soothed at the sight of the majestic figure.

The statue was made entirely of ice, and it reflected the sun's pale light into a rainbow of lights and colors.

**_As I stood there, the presence of my mother filled me. I couldn't see her, but I knew her to be there. That fact alone provided the strength I needed to go on with her last request..._**

The Child took the pendant off, and kissing the jewel once, he walked towards the statue, where its forepaws formed some kind of an altar. He placed it respectfully, and then tilted his head up to see the wolf's eyes.

"Mother told me a lot about you... but now, I don't really know what to say" He sat on one of the wolf's paws as he spoke, looking away, towards the ocean.

He sat there for a long time, thinking, feeling, listening, existing. After what could have been minutes or hours, he sighed, and looking up at the great wolf one last time, he walked towards the bridge.

"Be well… mother"

**_Following Valkov._**

_You are not alone..._

The boy walked down the path of ice. It had stopped raining, and he had no idea how long he had been gone, but as he reached the peak, he stared. The tall, scary man from before, Valkov, was standing there, waiting for him. His face show little surprise at his way of arrival.

"About bloody time, Rascal" Was all he said, before he started walking away.

The Child fought to catch up with the man. They walked back to the village and to the cabin, but they didn't stop there. The man motioned him to get on the car, and having nothing else to do, he did. As the car started, he caught a glimpse of his aunts in the foyer of the cabin. His heart clenched, but he remembered his mother's words.

_You're not alone._

"Watch them, and memorize them, Rascal" Valkov's voice made the Child look up at him questioningly "You are to never return here ever again. Look around you and try to remember it, in the end; your memories will be the only thing that will remain with you"

The Child blinked and gave his once home a longing glance, though he was pondering the man's words.

He wouldn't understand them until much later, but he knew he would remember them forever.

When they were well away from the village, Valkov spoke, and his voice held an authoritative note the redhead could not bring himself to defy.

"Listen well Rascal. From now on, you exist merely for the purpose of obeying my orders. Do so, and your existence will be tolerable. Defy me, and I'll make you wish you died with your parents. Am I clear enough?" He never took his eyes off the road, yet he managed to intimidate the small Child as if he had been glaring at him.

"Yes sir"

**_Even in those moments, when Boris was pulling his bastard number, I couldn't shake the feeling of sympathy and pity I felt towards him... that, eventually, would lead to the biggest mistakes of my life._**

The Child moved into his new life with relative ease. The place he was in was beautiful, and even someone ignorant of all art concepts could appreciate it. Valkov have given him only an order, but it kept him occupied for a long while. He spent his days with his nose buried in the library, browsing through the vast bookshelves, marveling at the wonders of the world he had never heard of before.

**_"Do you know how to read?" He had asked, "Then read" And so I did._**

It was a relatively easy existence, if the boy could ignore the negative aura that hung perpetually in the house or the stern silence that always reigned over it, or the pale faced, cold looking servants that roamed around the corners of the house, or the ever boiling temper of the master of the house.

But the Child adapted. He learned that there were worlds he could only reach through the books, positive worlds, inviting worlds, that the house wasn't so silent when one strained to listen to the small creaks of wood, or the faint sound of birds and nature outside, that the servants were rather entertaining to follow and incredibly amusing to annoy, and most importantly, that it wasn't that the master of the house was perpetually angry, it was that he had severe character flaws and high intolerance to failure.

So he sat in the floor of the ageless library, at the shadow of the wall wide windows, practically devouring the books, finding an escape to his solicitude within them.

**_Eventually, I realized I was not alone._**

He learned, too, that people wore masks to hide their true feelings in different situations, and that the older servants, those who were always kept the farthest from him, were the ones that wore the less masks, and those who could actually keep him company.

"What are you doing, Eva?" The Child tilted his head to the side as he looked up from his book, giving the woman in the stoves a curious glance.

"Dinner" The old African American woman said with a grin "Master Valkov requested a special dish for tonight, he's having guests"

The woman spoke in a cut, mispronounced accent, but she was gentle, and he felt sorrow mingled with joy and an unshakable sense of hope when he was near her. Providing the small Child a safe heaven to retreat to whenever Boris was in a fool mood, she was an incessant source of stories and gossip.

Not that the Child enjoyed the last one that much.

She was a Cuban that had once married a Russian man and followed him back into St. Petersburg, but then he had died, and without papers to prove her true nationality, she was forced to seek work in the cold streets. In the end, she had ended up in Valkov Manor, and although it wasn't a particularly bright place to live and work on, she adapted.

**_Eva was every parent's worst nightmare for a role model. She swore, she screeched, she slanged, she made these strange sounds she qualified as singing, and was generally full of energy. She was truly the life of the Valkov household, a reviving tonic against the stiffness and the general negativity that hung around the house._**

"Good fucking lord, are you trying to poison us?" The woman glared down at the Child, who stood, balancing precariously on a chair, hands holding a green bottle midair.

"I-"

"Yes, you, you little sodden rascal" The woman snatched the bottle from the hands of the boy and ruffled his hair affectionately "I said a few drops, not half the bottle"

"It slipped!" The Child sulked at being chided, letting himself fall down on the chair "I told you its too big for me"

"Nada, excuses won't work with me, I've told you once, and I'll tell you again, the only _impossible_ in this house is make the Master smile" She rolled her eyes, her Latin origin coming out in her speech and her accent, and huffed "Now cut your martyr act and bring me the brown paper bag from under the sink. Let's see if we can save this mess…"

The boy jumped from the chair and went straight to the sink, extracting a huge paper bag. He stood on his chair, watching curiously what the woman did.

"See? Tia Ana makes miracles" The woman winked, and the Child chuckled amused, smiling "Now go, the Master won't be pleased if you don't finish your books… go!"

The Child nodded, and scurried away from the kitchen.

**_In the years I stayed in Boris mansion, I learned more than I would ever, and despite the harsh treatment, I found myself almost content with my life... Boris' mother had been German and I learnt that when he was distressed, he spoke in that language, sometimes even in French. Curious, and frankly, hoping to please the man, I asked to learn them. He agreed, if I could teach myself._**

The seven year old Child practiced his German, translating a page of a random book he had taken from the library. As he sat on the floor, at the right of the man's desk, his brow furrowed when he couldn't translate a word.

"Sir?" He looked up to the stern looking man, trying to attract attention to himself, despite his light tone.

"Rascal?" Boris raised an eyebrow as he looked down at the small redhead; he lifted both, the book and the notebook for him to see.

He raised his eyebrows appreciatively, though he did not let it show otherwise. For a beginner, the Child's level was quite decent. He noted two minimal grammatical mistakes, and then again, he knew adults rose in Berlin who would commit them. He scribed a few corrections and threw the book back at the Child, harshly.

The Child sat to work in silence.

**_I was seven years old, had yet to learn to Beyblade, had mastered English, German and French, I had managed to translate fully the strange mix of Spanish and Russian Eva spoke in, and was still target number one of Boris' mood swings, when I learned of his secret love of music... and given I hadn't lost my hopes of making the man hate me a bit less, I decided to give it a try._**

There was a beautiful piano in the library, next to the window, and Boris liked to play it early in the morning, or really late at night. He played it delightfully. The Child made it a habit of waking really early to listen to the small concert since the first time he had heard the music.

He was awed that such a rotten soul could play such beautiful music. And thus, he awoke early every morning of the next two weeks, standing behind the ajar door, listening to Beethoven, Mozart or Vivaldi coming alive by the talented hands of the forbidding man.

Until he was caught.

The fifteen morning he committed a fatal mistake. He yawned. The heavy footsteps were heard, and the Child was frozen with panic. The door was opened harshly, and he faced one of the things he had come to fear the most. Those wine colored eyes darkened as they glared down at him. He felt himself grow pale.

"What the hell are you doing up at this hour!" The snarl made the Child whimper back as he stumbled through his explanations.

"I... I heard the music sir, and... and I liked it very much... I didn't want to intrude sir... I was... it's just that I wanted to hear more sir... I didn't want to make you mad... I'm sorry sir"

He unconsciously stepped back as Boris' eyes narrowed dangerously. The taller man huffed in slight irritation, but his rage seemed gone... for the time being. The redhead swallowed harshly against his dry throat as an amused eyebrow was risen at him.

Or as amused as Boris could seem, anyway.

"So, you actually like my music?" The redhead nodded tentatively, feeling no immediate danger on himself "Really?" Boris raised his other eyebrow.

"It's beautiful sir. You play really well" The Child was surprised to see the usually stern man snort in what seemed to be amusement.

"Ego stroking doesn't work on me, Rascal" The Child tilted his head slightly to the side, not entirely getting what older man was implying "But would you like to learn to play?"

The Child's uneasiness vanished swiftly as he beamed.

"Yes sir, I'd love to"

**_And so it began. For the first time, I tasted what discipline and harsh commitment meant. Boris was not a gentle or patient teacher, and he did not take well on failure, but he had a way of making you feel the need to do better, never minding how well you were doing already._**

The Child, wearing a concentrated frown too unnatural in an eight year old Child, played the notes with relative ease, until he reached the faster part of the melody. His fingers slipped and he winced at the mismatched note. Growing frustrated, he started again, yet his efforts were in vain as he committed the mistake again.

"Good graces, are you as useless as you look, Rascal?" Boris annoyed voice made the redhead wince again, and he sulked.

Occasionally, and mostly in the evenings, the taller man had made it a habit to finish his work of the day by sitting in a comfortable chair of the library, reading a novel the Child had never heard about, and which was, coincidentally, the time the redhead took to practice.

Neither tried to explain it, because the Child had learned that there were things better left unsaid, and Boris, well, because he rarely explained anything he did.

"But it won't come out right" There was a whinny note in his voice, one that not even in the presence of the stern man he could suppress.

Boris sighed and gave the Child a suffering stare.

"Move" He got up, leaving his book at the tea table, and stalked towards the piano with a intimidating grace the Child had learned to admire. He sat down next to the young redhead, and played the piece properly.

The Child, unseen by the stern man, smiled.

**_Boris wasn't a nice man, in the least, but I guess that he could grow on you the same way a daily pest does. You don't really like it, but you get used to it._**

"Can't you do something right for once?" The booming voice made the Child whimper slightly "Stay fucking _still_"

He screwed his eyes close as they took out the blood sample. He whined low in his throat as the taller man removed the needle from his skin, and he sulked in silence. Boris glared at the boy, and he scrammed, getting lost in the various corridors of the enormous house. The tall man noticed the Child was glowing faintly, and followed him.

**_Don't misunderstand me, I was still an specimen for study, and Boris knew perfectly well what my gifts and talents were, but he treated me like some kind of pet experiment he was reluctant to show others._**

He walked through the maze of corridors until he found the redhead curled under a table in the main study in the west wing. He was shivering, and looked quite miserable. The taller man's brow furrowed as he approached.

"Your empathy is getting out of control" He informed the distressed boy matter of factly "Breath deeply, and try to clear your mind"

The boy took in a shakily breath, and screw his eyes shut tightly. After a few more breaths, the glow died, and he managed to calm himself. Boris raised a calculative eyebrow as the Child kept his head bowed.

"Don't you have work to do?" His tone was harsh and authoritative.

The Child slid out of his temporal hiding place, and nodded submissively.

"Yes sir, sorry sir" And he walked out of the room and down the corridor, towards the library.

He could still hear Boris huff in annoyance.

**_Voltaire in particular._**

That day the Child had been dressed in pretty smart cloths, the maid explaining in hushed, nervous sentences that Boris' boss was coming to visit, and that he had showed a great interesting in meeting him. The boy took a deep breath as he walked towards the main study, where Boris received all his visits. As he touched the handle, though, he felt a wave of nausea settle within him, and he swallowed hard, trying to calm himself.

Whoever was inside felt so... _wrong._ He guessed the word was _evil_, but he had never felt anything like it before.

As he entered the room, he bowed his head respectfully at the sight of the elder and awaited orders of what to do.

The newcomer, who he guessed to be Lord Hiwatari, had the most hideous aura the Child had ever felt.

**_If I had thought Boris was the worst soul in the face of the planet, I was sadly mistaken. The man disgusted me the second I met him, and he didn't seem to like me much either._**

"So this is your pet street rat?" The older man sneered at the redhead, and continued speaking as if he weren't present.

"He's talented. I'm sure the proper training will bring out more of this gifts he's been displaying" Boris voice was respectful, yet the redhead recognized a tint of annoyance well hidden underneath.

"Mm, yes. An empath and an elemental, you say?" The older man didn't seem convinced enough though.

"Yes sir. And a powerful one too. I believe that with the proper Beyblade and training, we may have our needed blader" Boris seemed almost smug.

"What about my grandsons?" Hiwatari narrowed his eyes "Do you think he's better than them?"

"No need to get defensive sir" Boris replied smoothly, and this time the redhead was sure the tall man was amused "I'm merely stating that it would do wonders for our plan to have an extra... ah, back up" The purple haired man shrugged.

Hiwatari was silent for a moment as glared at the redhead measurably. The Child resisted the urge to wince, and although he could feel the piercing stare on himself, he managed to keep his eyes trained ahead of him.

"Fine. Take him to Moscow. We'll see if he survives" Hiwatari huffed, he was _not_ amused "But I'm warning you Valkov, if your little _pet_ causes any inconveniencies, I will have no trouble disposing of it. Good day"

The older man awaited no response, before he turned away and left the room swiftly. After a few seconds, the Child sighed and let his shoulders drop dramatically.

"That, Rascal" Boris voice startled him, and he turned to face him. The older man grimaced "Is the single most disgusting bastard in the face of earth. Do not, by the life of you, displease him in anyway... or he _will_ make you wish you were never born"

**_Single most useful piece of advice ever to come out of the mouth of Valkov. That meeting marked the end of my relative peaceful existence at Valkov manor in St. Petersburg, and all too soon I was relocated at the Abbey, in Moscow._**

The Child followed the tall man under the high arch of the entrance, and he shuddered at the wave of feelings that cursed through him. His instincts told him not to show it, and straining himself, he managed to walk behind the man without stumbling.

He followed the man in silence, as he watched the various children around, all training with their Beyblades under the hawk eye of men dressed up as monks. The Child felt weary of them, he had never been in contact with children of his own age, but those who were there, they felt strange... forbidding.

He was lead into the basements, and it took all his stubborn character not to fall. He saw older boys being yelled at as they fought each other with their blades. He saw the losers being taken away, kicking and screaming for mercy. He saw men in lab coats making measurements and tests in some kids. He saw stasis tanks with animals inside. He saw the lower ranking kids' rooms, some 6ft x 6ft cage like rooms with almost ten kids stuck together. He saw the isolation area, where the kids that lost their battles were taken to, and shuddered at the silence that settled in those cells.

**_It was empath hell. Such hatred, fear, anger, negativity... it was consuming, and I hadn't even seen the worst._**

Boris stopped at a metal door and sneered at the boy. The man was partially pleased that the Child had managed to control himself so much, but entering that room would definitely make him snap. The heavy door gave in and the Child took a sharp breath. The room was dimly lit, and he could see several instruments that very well served for torture. Boris smirked.

"Piss me off. Fail in your training. Show weakness. Try to escape" His voice was booming, the Child wondered when he had curled against the wall "Those are easy ways of gaining a free trip down here. I'll be frank. I don't believe in beating the hell out of those of _your_ kind, I truthfully don't. But the discipline in Valkov Abbey is a serious matter. We punish the smallest faults monumentally, making examples of those foolish enough to defy me, to straighten the rest" He knelt so he was eye level with the Child, and sneered "Don't make me use you as an example. I doubt you'd survive it"

The Child whimpered... _Brave men do not cry… _But his eyes remained dry.

**_I was lucky though, I didn't live in the Abbey then, but in Boris' personal quarters in Moscow; a small, rather stiff apartment that contrasted greatly with the splendors of the Manor in St. Petersburg, and yet reflected his personality like everything else he owned._**

"Be of some use and bring me a coffee Rascal" The tall man, who was working on a desk of the small apartment, growled without even looking up from his work, a lit cigarette hanging from his lips.

The Child, curled on a corner and wrapped in a thick blanket, put his book down and sighing, walked towards the small kitchen. He slid a chair next to the stove and put some water to boil, while he climbed the counter to get the grounded coffee. He was still unnaturally short for his age, but he was used to it by then. Preparing the hot beverage with little difficulty, he set it on a tray and carried it, more or less gracefully, to the desk. The man looked down at him with a risen eyebrow and waved dismissingly, not saying a word.

The Child scurried to his corner in silence.

**_Now, let's be frank. At first, I couldn't launch a blade properly to save my soul, and I was, physically and mentally speaking, too weak to resist the training. Boris knew this, too… So I was put to test._**

The Child stumbled into the room and, despite knowing he shouldn't, glared at the guards, _monks_ that had shoved him in.

Boris, unseen, smirked.

"See that Rascal?" The tall man, now wearing a pair of freaky red glasses pointed to a sand bag hanging from the ceiling of the small, circular room. The Child nodded in silence "You have a week to break it, or I'm sending you to the _hole_, for a _month_"

The Child swallowed hard against a dry throat at the thought of spending time in the forbidding torture room.

"Sir, yes sir"

**_It was hard, and I wasn't sure I would be able to do it… but I had to try, at least. The ghost of Eva's words of harsh encouragement followed me and soothed me as I tried. _**

"Well, well, well" Boris snarled, giving the Child a cold glare "Seems you're a whimpering weakling in the end"

The Child was on his knees, breathing harsh, drenched in sweat, looking at the sandbag miserably, and a whimper dying at the back of his throat. He had barely eaten or slept in the past week. Boris' lips twisted in distaste.

"Take him"

The guards grabbed his arms roughly, raising him to his feet. He saw Boris' cold eyes and closed his own, then, mustering all his strength, he freed himself from the hold, and reached to throw a solid left hook at the black leather. It happened swiftly, in seconds.

The bag slashed, filling the floor with sand.

The Child fell to his knees again, eyes half closed, his body protesting loudly against the overwork. Before he passed out, he saw the corners of Valkov's lips twisting upwards in a smirk.

_Well done Rascal._

**_I'm a stubborn creature, I wouldn't survive otherwise._**

The Child settled the black blade in the launcher, and launched again. And again, and again, and again. Until he needn't think to do it properly. He followed orders and eventually managed to do the exercise flawlessly, also gaining personality in his style.

He stood in formation with the rest of his squadron, practicing and chanting the different mottos like the rest, but soon, all those talents Boris had told Voltaire about started to appear.

**_I discovered I did have the talent, and when practicing alone, I was unstoppable. Against a human opponent, though, things were radically different._**

"Dodge and counter!" The Child yelled, and his blade slammed against his opponent's.

_Please... don't make me go down there again..._

The Child froze and in his uncertain moments, his opponent took the chance and defeated him with relative ease.

**_I lost a good deal of battles because my emotions, and that of my opponent, got to me, but instead of shoving me down a cell as he was supposed to, Boris made me spend unending hours in the torture chamber, the hole. Not doing anything, just forcing me to stand the negativity in the room. And instead of giving up, I got up for more each time._**

"It's the survival of the fittest Rascal" Boris told the Child as he opened the door, letting him out "You need to stop caring about others and start centering on yourself"

"Yes sir, sorry sir" The Child's eyes slowly got colder, frozen, guarding the vast range of emotions behind them from others.

He was starting to understand why the servants of Valkov manor wore masks, and he set to create one for himself, the perfect mask, one that would help him survive.

**_My improvement didn't go unnoticed by Boris, who considered it a personal victory over Voltaire. Slowly, as I ranked higher in the training mock tournaments, my schedule was slowly getting loose, giving more free time to employ it as I saw fit._**

**_A great prerogative, considering the Abbey's tight military schedule. I started gaining a reputation and I started gaining responsibilities. Not only did I rank higher in tournaments and made it to BioVolt's global top five students, I became the youngest Squadron leader in the Abbey._**

The Child, now wearing khaki colored cloths, sat on the rug of Boris' office, browsing though a thick history book. After raising his eyes to watch the Child for a moment, the purple haired man frowned, looking down at the files in his hands. The Child had developed well, as Boris had known he would, but the taller man wasn't entirely sure the Child was ready for the upcoming test. The still small redhead ran his eyes over the lines avidly; his interest in literature no less big than it had been when he had lived in the Manor.

Wine colored eyes studied the Child thoroughly. He was small by nature, almost fragile, but he had already proved his worth, and the purple haired man knew the Child would do anything he ordered. That was, mostly, the reason he had allowed the redhead so much freedom, the Child was faithful to him almost to a fault. Closing the files, he coughed.

"Rascal" The Child looked up; curiosity guarded behind the apparently cold blue eyes "I have a job for you"

**_And that's how I met Alexei._**

The Child watched from a corner, using his gift to make others ignore him. His eyes scanned the crowd, eventually falling on a small boy, a six year old who was being bullied by the older kids of his own squad. The younger Child was small, and he was trembling with fear, glowing in a faint purple glow. His hair was long, straight and forest green in color, while his eyes were a dark indigo. The Child frowned when the fearful eyes settled on him, and he got a glimpse into his soul.

Those were the eyes of an empath.

"That should be enough" Though he was younger, smaller and a lot less intimidating than the rest of the kids in the squadron, the Child held an authoritative air and the others backed from the trembling new kid "Alexei Voroshilov, I suppose" His narrowed eyes fell on the whimpering kid. The younger one nodded "Good, come with me… the rest, you have training to do" He death glared the squadron, and they got to work immediately.

Alexei trembled under the redhead's authority, and took his hand fearfully. _You're safe with me._ He relaxed as he touched him though, and the Child felt strange warmth invade him as he walked towards his new quarters with the small creature at his side.

**_He became my first priority, even more important than blading or obeying orders or training my squad, I even had to live with him. I was to stay beside him twenty four seven from then on... Boris even went as far as to give me the license to ignore a direct order if it placed the green haired child in danger. Following my natural way of dealing with new situations, I threw myself head first into my task._**

"…and you pull the rip cord" The Child guided the smaller hands, helping the green haired Child in his training "Yes, like that. Now try on your own"

Though he wasn't much older, the Child enjoyed taking care of Alexei. He could give himself the luxury of being gentle, of showing emotions, of being himself, when he was alone with the small boy. Given his natural talents were untrained, the Child not only taught him how to block the negativity of the Abbey, he taught him how to blade, how to use his gifts to aid him, how to survive.

**_For the first time of my life I felt myself needed, and I couldn't, can't, describe the feeling. Alexei loved me dearly, not only because I treated him kindly in a place where emotions and feelings were considered a crime, but because I understood him and his gift, because I protected him and taught him to defend himself. And despite my own training and my newly developed detachment instinct, I loved him too._**

"Good" The redhead smiled, ruffling the green eyed Child's hair as they recalled their blades "You're doing great"

"You say that only to get rid of me" The voice was soft and kind, with an inner sweetness that filled who ever heard it with a sense of warmth "But I'll never get to be as good as you are Tala"

"You'll be" The redhead grinned lopsidedly "You're gonna be Capitan of the team one day, and make it right into the top five"

"Really? You think I could?" There was naïve anxiousness behind the question, and the redhead shrugged.

"Why not?"

The Child felt a powerful wave of warmth as the younger one told him what he would do if he were captain of the team, comfortably laying on the small bed, lap full of excited Alexei. The redhead smiled as he ran his fingers through the stubborn green locks.

_You're not alone._

**_And then Kai and Ian came._**

The Child stood in his place as two new children were added to his squadron. He was still shorter than the average nine year old, but he had gained a few inches from his excessive training. To his surprise, they didn't wear the standard trainee uniform, and both seemed to be rather mean. The taller one, Kai, had dual colored hair, navy at the back, slate in the front, and a pair of crimson colored eyes. He wore a black tank top and baggy blue cargos, which, complimented with his white scarf and the strange paint marks in his face made him look forbidding. The other was a shorter blunette, also with red eyes, but with mischievous air around him. He wore a pair of dark grey jeans and a black shirt with a dark green vest. They didn't seem any friendlier than the rest of the children, but the redhead felt strangely curious about them. Alexei, sensing his curiosity, grabbed his jacket and hid behind him.

They were left alone to train, when the taller one, Kai, glared at Alexei, and then at the Child.

"The hell you're starting at?" The dual haired boy snarled, but the redhead shrugged.

And smirked, though not for first time in his life, and certainly not for the last. Alexei held his clothes tightly.

"At you and your freaky face paint" The Child answered honestly, with a tint of humor behind his voice.

"You think you're pretty funny, don't you?" The red eyes were narrowed dangerously, but the Child was immune to it. Alexei held back a whimper, his hold on his cloths tightening harshly.

**_Kai was scary when he was pissed off, even as a child, but he didn't hold a light against Boris' death glares, and truthfully, I was already used to it by then. I even had my own already._**

"Not particularly, but you asked" The Child had less than a second to dodge the fist coming his way. Alexei let go of him and backed away from the tension, afraid of the powerful emotions in the room. The Child raised an eyebrow "Is that the best you can do?" He dodged another "Really, can't win a verbal battle so you have to go for violence" A really mean left hook breezed past his chin "Really mature" The Child caught a high kick with relative ease and smirked "That's been quite enough" Twisting it sharply, he sent the blunette to the floor, slamming his back against the cold stone floor. The red eyed boy groaned, and the Child leaned in, until he was almost nose to nose with him "I'm in charge here, kid, and I don't really give a flying fuck who your Granny is. You're working just as hard as the rest" He pulled back, and the blunette snarled "We'll see if you're really as good as they say… Alright everyone, in pairs, now!"

The redhead stepped back, and noticed with mild admiration that the shorter boy did not protest and set to work with another student. He watched them both carefully; his eyes trained on their movements, and realized that both held bit beasts in their blades.

"Hn, you _are_ good, but let's see if your beasts are enough to handle a _real_ battle" The Child's tone was arrogant, and he knew it, but he also knew that was the best way to deal with that kind of things.

**_It was then when Anuk decided he had been hiding away enough time, and finally came to my aid._**

"Dranzer!"

Kai's blade slammed against the Child's powerfully and he grounded his teeth in annoyance. It just wouldn't do to be so easily defeated by the new kids, so he stubbornly kept on fighting.

"Tala!" Alexei's voice was worried, edging on fear as he watched his best friend battle with the best he had and still losing "C'mon Red, you can do it!" He was so anxious he didn't realize he had called him by his private nickname.

The Child gasped as the phoenix called upon its element and sent a hurricane of fire against him. He could feel temperature rising and despite his efforts to keep the opponent blade away, it sped towards him menacingly.

"C'mon Dranzer, go get him!" Kai smirked, almost tasting success.

The Child closed his eyes, and turned his face away, rising his arms to protect himself from the brutal attack. Suddenly temperature dropped dramatically, and the ones around him gasped. The Child and his blade glowed blue, and Anuk, as glorious as the Child remembered, emerged from his blade, bearing its long fangs in warning.

_You're not alone._

The Child was doubtful for a second, and then he knew what to do.

"Anuk, Blizzard!"

There was a powerful howl and a blinding flash of blue light. When they could see again, everything, from the dish, to the floor, the walls, the ceiling, everything was covered in a thin sheet of ice. Dranzer lay at the bottom of the frozen dish, half shattered, while Anuk spun merrily. Kai snarled, but the Child merely shrugged, smirking. Alexei ran to the Child, attaching himself to his side again, and eyes wide and questioning.

"Captain?" The voice was shaken. _Are you ok?_

"C'mon runt, you and I have a date with the simulator" The redhead smirked lopsidedly, _I'm fine_, and gave the rest of the squadron a sharp look "Why don't you give our newest recruit _warm_ welcome? I'll be back in an hour"

He walked away, Alexei at his side as he saw the older kids smirk nastily. Shrugging, he ran a hand over the shorter Child's hair, soothingly.

_You're not alone._

**_But even if I slowly adapted to my new situation, and even if I managed to block other's feelings while always staying in the Abbey, and even if I managed to reach peaceful land with Kai, and in extension, with Ian, things got rough for me._**

The Child raised a hand to his lips, motioning the two boys to be silent. Looking at the corridor one last time, he closed the door behind himself. Ian narrowed his eyes, while Kai bared his teeth. The Child shrugged, and gave them a half smile. Kai's eyes tried to burn a hole into him, but the redhead ignored him as he walked towards the bed. Ian stood aside, frowning slightly.

"Will you calm down? I'm just trying to help" The Child rolled his eyes at the incredulous flash in the garnet orbs "What?" He snorted "Oh, never mind"

The Child, with some protests from the dual haired boy, managed to bandage properly the wounded arm, cleaning the slash and carefully applying a green salve into the wound. When he was done, Kai gave him an unreadable look.

"You didn't have to do that" There was a faint confused note in the dual haired boy's voice, but the Child shrugged.

"No, but the Boss wants you to start training in the southern corridors tomorrow, and you won't be able to pass it with your arm falling down" The Child shook his head "I should know, I couldn't"

He could feel Ian's curious gaze on the back of his neck, but for some reason, it didn't bother him.

"This doesn't mean we're friends" The taller blunette sentenced with a guarded look "Friendship is for the weak" He repeated the mantra easily, but the Child only smiled.

"I know" And taking his things, he left, not without one last glance at the cousins "I know"

**_Again._**

The Child yawned, stretching until his joints popped back into place, and got out of bed, careful of not waking the sleeping green haired Child in his bed. He slid into the small bathroom they shared and splashed his face with cold water. Drying his face, he slid out of the room, ignoring Alexei's silent whimpers in his sleep. The Child walked though the long, dimly lit corridor, knowing exactly where to go. He turned and walked until he reached the central tower, then jumped into the snow covered roof with ease. Padding softly, he climbed until he reached the highest part of the tower. Then, he laid back and watched the stars.

The Child remained in the roof for a few hours, not minding the biting wind or the cold. When he knew he had stayed enough, he stood up and brushed his cloths free of snow, then slowly climbed down and walked back to his room to sleep an hour or two more. He walked through the corridors slowly, in silence. Suddenly, his instincts flared up and cold dread settled in the pit of his stomach, the Child whirled around, eyes scanning the shadows.

**_I met Him, and for the first time in years, I felt fear, true animalistic fear._**

"Little kids shouldn't be up this late, something bad could happen to them" The man's voice was mocking, as he stepped into the faint light of an overhead lamp.

The Child tensed, bearing his teeth in warning as he ran his eyes up and down the guard. He was a tall man, probably on his forties, with slightly grey hair and pale yellow eyes. Though he wasn't repulsing, physically speaking, the Child felt a latent menace in his presence. The man's eyes flashed as the Child backed from him.

"Scared of me lovely?" He sneered "Don't be…"

"_Novae Rove!_" The Child raised his hands and cast a small ball of ice and frost as the man tried to touch him, and slammed him against a wall.

The man stood shakily, but the Child was already gone, running frantic through the corridors and back into his room. He slowed his breathing and cleared his mind before entering though, not wanting to distress Alexei, and decided to put the incident behind him.

**_I didn't have a second of peace afterwards. I had to be alert and ready, because the incident repeated itself a few more times and, despite getting frosted in various occasions, the man never gave up._**

The Child ran to his room, shivering as he heard the maniacal laugher behind him. It was the fourth attack that month, but he had managed to save himself again. His breathing was raged and his heart was pounding, but as he fell on bed, the comforting presence of Alexei made itself known, and he relaxed slightly.

**_Valkov was too engrossed with his new project to notice the subtle changes in me, and I was too worried about Alexei, the key of his new experiment, to mention anything. I felt it would be admitting a weakness, and I wasn't ready to do something like that. I didn't think it was important though, so I never told Boris about it._**

The Child held the shivering boy in his arms, running his fingers through his hair, trying in vain to sooth him. He glowed in a faint blue light as he absorbed Alexei's distress, and the younger one held tighter on him, burying his face into the crook of the redhead's neck. The Child felt the moist, warm tears sliding down his neck, slowly soaking his shirt.

"Please don't make me go there again…" The soft voice pleaded in a heart braking tone "I'll be good, I really will, but please… Tala, don't make me go there again!"

The Child breathed deeply and held the boy close to his chest. He nuzzled his neck tenderly.

"The Boss wants you, Lex, and only you… you're the only one special enough to do it" He kissed the tousled locks of hair "You know I would take your place if I could, but I can't" Small arms held him desperately.

"I don't want to die"

The silent whisper froze the Child.

"Shh, listen to me" He held Alexei away from him so he could see his eyes "You aren't going to die, ok? Not if I have a say in this. Everything will be just fine, Lex, you'll see…"

"Red…" The small Child broke down crying again, holding the nine year old tightly.

_You're not alone…_

**_It became a constant situation I had to take care of, but soon, my work got more and more demanding, and the guard and his attacks were placed in the back of my head. I had Alexei's depression to handle, a reaction to the experiments being performed in him, and a new recruit to deal with. Bryan._**

The Child watched the new kid with interest. He was taller than him, and much more bulky, but beyond the forbidding exterior, his empath abilities could sense a caring soul. He liked him, from the instant he had met him, because not only he did not complain about his situation, he complied with the orders assigned and adapted to the situation. Where others whined and bemoaned the harsh treatment, the pale haired boy stood firmly and gave nothing but the best he could. And the Child admired that. Slowly, almost without intentions, both became close. They trained together, and after a while, Bryan moved into his and Alexei's room. The Child was silently delighted in the prospect of having a friend, in the true sense of the word.

"What're you doing?" The Child peered over Bryan's shoulder, looking at the notebook curiously.

"Nothing, just a sketch" The tone was soft, and the pale haired boy looked up, his lips twisting into a small half smile.

The Child shook his head.

"Your _nothings_ are pretty good" He shrugged sheepishly "I do sticks and it takes a lot of imagination from the onlooker to figure them out"

"You're a lazy ass, that's all" The taller boy huffed softly as he brushed the drawing with his fingers.

Silence fell in the room as the Child leaned on Bryan, resting his head on his shoulder, content with just watching the skilled hands work.

**_He never asked questions, nor was he demanding, he was simply there, when I needed him the most._**

"Red?" The Child looked up and smiled sadly as Alexei entered the room.

His dark eyes were brimming with unshed tears, and he was shivering, his purple glow flickering around him. The redhead sat back, moving away from Bryan and beckoned the green haired boy to come to him. Bryan watched in silence as the indigo eyed Child let out a sob and run into the redhead's embrace, burying his face into the crook of his neck. The Child ran his hands over the trussed hair, trying to sooth the distress boy. The lavender-haired boy was silent for a moment, and then reached out to touch the green haired Child, rubbing his back soothingly. The Child smiled gratefully as Alexei leaned on Bryan, reaching out to hug his shirt. The pale boy shrugged.

_You're not alone._

**_But then, Boris started working on the Beyblade golden dream, creating a man-made bit beast, the most powerful of them all, Black Dranzer; and Alexei's and my powers recoiled angrily at it. So much and so violently in my case, something had to be done, or I would surely die… and take half the Abbey with me._**

"This can't go on Rascal" Boris lips were thin and his eyes were narrowed, the Child swallowed hard, hugging himself tightly, trying to make the faint blue glow go away.

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to"

To his surprise, Boris snorted.

"I know"

There was a strained silence in the office as the Child recovered what little composure he had left, and the tall man studied him carefully. When he spoke, it was slow and deliberated, as if he were choosing his words carefully.

"There is a way to stop your… _gifts_, from showing" He looked at the Child right in the eye, and the blue eyes slowly lost their masks "We've been working on a neuronal web of implants that will shut down the empath's elemental chemical reactions, thus blocking away any physical manifestation of your _talent_" The Child listened carefully, watching the man closely "Your blading talents and your connection with the Wolf wouldn't be touched, but they would ensure this morning's episode won't repeat itself again"

**_You were scared when I frosted Krystal's Office, but that was nothing compared to the devastation I caused in the basements. I actually froze myself then, I stopped breathing and my heart stopped beating. Boris was pissed off, but from what I was told, Voltaire was livid._**

"Will I still be able to summon the ice?" The Child's voice was soft and respectful, though the question burned.

"No" The taller man twisted his lips "I wouldn't give a flying fuck about what you can or can't do, but Hiwatari's pissed off, rather greatly, and he has ordered me to block you… and maybe Alexei too"

"Will…" The Child swallowed hard "Will we still be able to feel other's feelings?"

"Yes, the only thing it'll block is your control over the ice, and Alexei's of the wind" The man's lips thinned even more "Hiwatari wishes to take no more risks"

The silence stretched again, and the Child felt a whimper in the back of his mind at the thought of the pale yellow eyes.

**_For a moment I thought about the possibility of speaking up, but since it had been weeks since the last attack…_**

The Child nodded finally, sighing in submission.

"When will this be done, sir?"

"In two days"

"Alright"

**_I figured they had stopped for good._**

The Child took a deep breath as he was slowly put to sleep, the last thing he saw were Boris' wine colored eyes flashing with something akin to guilt, then sweet oblivion.

When he woke again, lying back in his bed, he was alone in his room and his body ached. He sat up shakily; careful not to touch the various places were the implants had been placed in his neck and his back. He saw a pill, a glass of water and a small note in his nightstand.

_Take this for the pain; it'll fade away in a few days._

_Don't move too much and don't strain yourself,_

_Though you heal fast, it'll be better if you wait._

_You're relieved from your obligations until new advice,_

_Alexei will be taken care of somewhere else._

_Valkov._

The Child smiled faintly, and swallowing down the medicine, fell back on the bed, wishing sleep on himself.

**_I was sadly mistaken._**

The Child twisted in the older man's grasp, snarling fiercely, wolf-like fangs showing menacingly, but the man seemed little impressed. The sounds of the fierce thunderstorm outside howled through the corridors, lightening flashing through the high windows. The Child mustered all his strength he possessed and managed to escape the man's hold. He ran towards his room, still clumsy and unbalanced from the surgery, only two days before, and just before he could grab the handle, he was whirled around and slammed harshly against the cold wall. The Child held back a whimper as the fresh wounds in his spine protested loudly. The dim light in the hallway made the pale eyes flash dangerously and the man sneered, showing off his teeth.

"That wasn't nice of you, lovely"

The Child snarled fiercely, as another powerful thunder howled, but this time the man was prepared and held both of his hands over his head, pinned firmly with one hand. The boy tried to kick him, but the man caught his leg and the Child whimpered as his back was forced to arch, thus straining the wounds.

"Yes, be a good boy, why do you fight it anyway, lovely? We both know you want it as much as I do"

The Child froze as he felt a warm breath on the side of his neck. Despite his back protesting, he trashed against the man's grip, but being slammed against the wall again made a wave of pain surge through him and he could not move anymore. He whimpered again as a warm, wet, disgusting tongue traveled from the shell of his ear, down to his collarbone. His eyes fixed on the high ceiling of the corridor, and the windows, on how the small drops of water were smashed fiercely against the crystal, and how they slid downwards, grazing paths on the surface. He whimpered.

_Please… stop it… someone, **any**one, help…_

**_For the first time in my life I felt hatred, and surprisingly, it wasn't aimed at that man. No, it was hatred of my own weakness. If I had failed to protect myself, how could I try to protect Alexei? If was so weak, how could I fulfill Valkov's plans for me? If I was such an insignificant creature, how could I presume of controlling the Winter Spirit?_**

The boy sat in the shower, legs folded against his chest, his arms resting over his knees, his head bowed. The circular wounds of the implants were bleeding slightly under the harsh spray of the cold water as he sat there, feeling strangely disgusted and ashamed of what had happened.

What he had let happened.

**_I hated what had happened, and I wallowed my self pity for a while, whether it was minutes or hours, I never knew, but when I awoke from that, I knew exactly what I had to do._**

The Child dressed carefully and sat on the bed for a moment, pondering his decision for a second, before he stood and walked towards the door, his blade forgotten in the nightstand.

**_I would have to leave, to become stronger, better, so it would never happen again. I had to leave, because I wasn't worthy enough, and only outside I would find the strength I needed._**

The Child breezed through the security with relative ease. He knew where every camera, guard and gate was, and the only thing that slowed him were his wounds, which he could feel bleeding under his cloths. Once he passed over the high wall, the last barrier between the Abbey and freedom, he ran into the city, not once stopping or looking back.

The Child ran over the busy streets, passing people and cars, like inside a dream. He didn't know how long he run, but as he did, his vision started to blur by the blood loss, and as the night fell, he managed to reach a large park. He kept on running, until he tripped and fell down. Against the soothing feeling of the fresh snow, the Child did not get up… and slowly felt unconsciousness swallowing him up.

**_I felt death knocking at my door then, and I doubted for a second. I didn't want to go on, to fight back. For me, in that moment, it wasn't worth it. But then I heard it, the soothing voice that always whispered in the back of my head, urging me on. It was Anuk._**

_Is this truly the end of you? Will you brake down against this test? Will your mother's death be in vain?_

The Child whimpered silently as the voice made itself known and slowly gained strength, even though he couldn't see it, he felt the blue glow around him, and the ghost image of the great Winter Spirit appearing before him.

_Do not give up… it is not fair, neither for you, nor for those who gave themselves up for you._

The Child tried to get up once, twice, but he fell down, the white jacket soaked in his own blood.

"Mother…"

The Child fell unconscious in the soft bed of snow, as it tainted with his blood.

**_But I did not die, and when I woke up, I found myself in the strangest of places._**

"Shh, you'll wake him Rose!" There was a hushed voice scolding and the Child whimpered as he fought to regain conscience.

"Will not… oh, look!" A second voice answered the first, as the Child twisted around in bed, his eyes slowly sliding open "Call Ma'am Yazel, Marie, the kid's waking up!"

"Thanks to you and your infernal screeching, of course" The first voice retorted sarcastically and the Child sat up.

He was lying in a shabby bed, inside a small, dimly lit room. The woman sitting next to him had black hair and strange pale lilac eyes. She wore a skimpy outfit, a pair of tight leather shorts and a red see-through short blouse, and too much make up, but her smile was sincere, despite the sorrow in her eyes. The other woman was standing in the doorway; she was wearing a red denim mini skirt and a black halter top, with black knee length boots. She too wore so much make up her true face features were obscured by it, but her violently colored pink hair and blue eyes were still clearly visible. The Child whined as his back protested loudly and tried in vain to sit up. The black haired woman placed her hands on his shoulders and set him back on bed carefully.

"Slow down, Sweet Heart, those are some nasty wounds on your back" She smiled, her crimson painted lips twisting in what the Child supposed tried to be a reassuring way "I'm Beth, and that screeching cow there's Rose. You passed out in the park, but you're safe now"

The Child closed his eyes for a second, trying to regain his breath and let out a long sigh.

"Thank you" He smiled, though he knew his eyes were dim "I'm Tala"

"And what's a pretty thing like you doing in the middle of The Wiseman's park, bleeding and half dead?" The Child squeaked as Rose leaned in, blinking her large blue eyes questioningly "Are you running away? Are you lost? Did you escape home? What happened?"

"That should be enough, Rose; he's a guest, not a criminal"

The Child turned to the source of the voice and blinked. In the doorway, stood a woman practically glowing with a regal air. Her hair, white by age, was pulled back into a tight bun, and her winkled face held a light of authority and wisdom the Child had never seen before. Her eyes, a deep red, were jaded, those of someone who had seen the worst of the world and still went on, and they seemed to soften at the sight of the small Child. The woman was short and was leaning heavily on a short walking stick, her cloths were simple and plain, in rather dull colors which contrasted greatly with the excessive attires of the rest of the females in the room.

"And even if he were, everyone's welcome at Ma'am Yazel's Blue Moon, isn't that right girls?"

**_I just happened to land in Moscow's biggest and most renowned whorehouse._**

"Those are quite the nasty, love, are you sure you'll be fine?"

Beth ran her hands over the reddish circular marks on the Child's back, her ghostly touch soothing the distressed Child.

"I'll be fine" The Child curled on her lap, taking the luxury of having someone to hold him "I heal fast" Beth sighed.

"We all do, love, at least here" She ran her hands over his hair, ruffling it playfully "But, as much as I enjoy your company, I have work to do. Behave, and don't give Ma'am Yazel an ulcer?"

"Don't worry, that pleasure's reserved to Rose only" The Child smiled and cracked his back, wincing slightly as the tender new skin over the implants protested softly "Be careful, Beth" A flash of worry passed through his eyes as she walked out of the room, wearing her _work_ outfit. He sighed.

"You worry too much. My girls are smart and they know how to gain their money" Ma'am Yazel spoke quietly, and the Child jumped startled.

"I'm sorry Ma'am, I didn't hear you enter" He smiled softly, tilting his head to the side.

"No, you were to deep in your worries to listen to the world outside" There was a reproaching note in the woman's voice "Come boy, that back of yours is almost healed and it's high time you earn your keep"

**_It wasn't a nice place, the Blue Moon, not in the orthodox definition at least, but it was warm. If you could ignore the unholy noises you had to listen to each night, of course. But after a few days, I was starting to adapt to my new situation. I had the simple jobs no one else could do, clean around while everyone was asleep, and keep things in order. There were ten women in the house, plus Ma'am Yazel and Ewan, her brother, each one with their own personality and their own stories on how they ended up in the Blue Moon, and really, it only took me a week to learn all the details almost by heart._**

"Walk straight boy" The woman, from her chair, snapped at the Child with a slight glare "Head up high, you have nothing to be ashamed of" The Child, broom in hand, sighed, but complied "In my days, boy, when women were ladies and men were gentlemen, slumped shoulders were a sign of a criminal, not of a dutiful, hard working boy. Now hurry up, it's almost ten"

"Yes Ma'am" He smiled lopsidedly, and got to work with redoubled efforts, cleaning the small entrance room.

His back, with two days of rest and calm, was almost completely healed and he felt rather good. He still relived the incident in his nightmares, but he tried not to think about it and bask in the warmth he received from the inhabitants of the house.

**_At least there no one asked questions. For a moment, I foolishly thought Boris would forget about me, that perhaps I could live on, somewhat normally._**

Beth jumped startled as the main door banged open and a tall man swept inside. His wine colored eyes flashing with fury. The Child was sweeping the corridor, it was late afternoon and they would start receiving clients soon, so he couldn't have the luxury of resting yet. He heard Beth stuttering and walked into the main room… and froze.

**_Of course I was wrong. I hadn't before, not I have since then, seen Boris Valkov more pissed off than the evening he stormed into the Blue Moon, about three weeks since I ran away._**

Boris whirled around at the sound of the sharp gasp, and his eyes narrowed even more if possible. The Child stood there, frozen in fear as the imposing man made his way towards him. He shivered at the force of the emotions that came from the man, and winced as he bared his teeth, a clear sign of his displeasure. Without warning, Boris backslapped the Child and he fell back, in shock.

**_Yell at me? It was his favorite hobby. Threaten me? Once in a while. But touching me? Directly cause me physical pain? Never before._**

"You two cented, weak idiot!" The Child winced at the roughness the purple haired man used, and how thick his German sounded when he was angry "Is this what we have been working on so hard for? Running away the moment things get rough? Acting like a fucking doormat for any goddamned bastard who thinks that can have a go with you? You think you can deal with things on your own, but when they get out of control, instead of admitting you were wrong, what do you do, eh? You run away like a fucking coward!"

**_Each remark hit closer home than the one before, slowly and surely shattering any pretence of security I had built in my short stay in the Blue Moon. It hurt, but not because he was insulting me, or because he was yelling. No, it hurt, because it was true._**

When the man had almost yelled himself hoarse, the Child nodded, his eyes filled with a renewed determination. All the inhabitants of the shabby building were in the small hall, and the Child couldn't remember when they entered, but as he saw them, he understood. They were hiding, they had let their problems and fears overpower them, and when they realized they weren't strong enough to cope with them, they ran away. That was what Boris hated the most, cowards, and he understood what the tall, stern man was trying to tell him. He would _not_ be a coward. Standing up shakily, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I'm sorry sir. It won't ever happen again" He winced slightly as his accent deepened when he spoke in German. Boris narrowed his eyes.

"Hn. I thought you said you were responsible of Alexei, now, in the light of the new events I'm not sure you are capable enough" His lips twisted into a smirk as the Child's back straightened.

"It's my responsibility. My private life does not interfere with my obligations" Boris seemed pleased in the new steel edge in the Child's voice.

"We will see… you have twenty minutes boy, I'll be waiting outside" He smirked, sounding almost pleased as he stalked away from the building, leaving the Child, processing the situation.

He smiled thinly at Ma'am Yazel and the others, and said his goodbyes softly, with a newfound sense of calm. When he was about to leave, Yazel caught his arm and leaned close.

"If something ever happens, remember you have a place with us" She gave him a half smile as he nodded, but not for the reasons the old woman thought.

When he walked out, he saw Boris leaned back against the black car, arms crossed tightly as he watched him with cold eyes.

**_I learnt one of the most valuable lessons of my life, that night._**

"Let's go home Rascal, it's been a stressful week"

As Boris slid into the driver's seat, and the Child closed the door, he gave the shabby building one last glance, before he centered his eyes in the road.

For a strange reason, his heart and his shoulders felt lighter.

**_You can try to run and hide from your problems, but whether they are small or large, they will always come back to haunt you unless you confront and solve them._**

"Tala!"

"Oof"

The Child held the doorframe as the green haired boy ran into his arms, clutching him tightly. Sitting in bed, Bryan gave him a risen eyebrow as he slid into the room. The pale boy ran his eyes up and down the redhead, obviously noting the subtle change, but instead of asking, he shrugged.

"Took you long enough" Was all the taller boy said, closing his drawing notebook, and walking past him "You may want to check on the wonder duo. They've been slacking off since you've been gone"

**_So I returned to the Abbey, but instead of wallowing in self pity, or letting my fears get the best of me, I redoubled my efforts. Not only did I train myself and my squad until the point of exhaustion… I trained my mind and my talents, so I would not fall victim of my weakness ever again._**

The Child sat in the middle of the room, legs crossed as his hands touched the wet floor. His eyes were closed, and he was glowing in the strange eerie glow. He could feel the implants in his back recoiling to his use of his talents, but he knew this was the only way to make himself resistant.

**_I never saw Him again, though._**

As days and weeks passed, his improvement was clear, as his attacks became more deadly, and his concentration imperturbable. Boris was pleased.

"Anuk, counter it"

The voice was as cold as the element the Child summoned, and Kai's Dranzer was shattered with incredible ease. The blunette snarled as his bit fell next to him, glowing in recoil. The Child gave him a subtle shrug and a half smirk.

**_But I wasn't the only one who changed. Each day, as the experiments performed on him grew harsher; Alexei grew distant, slowly encapsulating himself into his own feelings, his despair. Worse of it, is that we didn't realize what it was, until it was too late._**

The Child watched Alexei with narrowed eyes, watching the white blade moving around with ease. In just three months since the incident, as the Child had started to refer to the attack, he had managed to improve his style considerably, ranking higher in the internal tournaments. The Child was sure that with two or three more months, Alexei would be ready to receive a bit beast.

"Front attack!" The green haired Child snarled fiercely as his blade shot forward, slamming against Ian's brutally.

"Sherra, Sand attack!" The shorter boy called upon the imposing cobra with familiarity, watching it uncurl and show its hat proudly.

Alexei's blade went down after a moment, though he had managed to shatter Ian's defense ring.

"That's enough for today, it's time for dinner" The Child called from his corner, and started walking away without waiting for them.

He wondered why it felt cold when Alexei didn't reach out for him.

**_And then came Spencer. And everything Bryan had been for me, he was an opposite. Picking fights with younger students, getting in trouble but blaming others, and generally causing a riot everywhere he went._**

The eleven year old redhead clenched his teeth in a supreme effort of will to not snap at the taller, older blond. The emerald eyed boy had an arrogant look on his face as he looked down at the Child, challenging him.

"Sokolov, what part of _don't mess with the younger kids_ does your fucking brain _not_ get?" Blue eyes were narrowed, but the blond simply shrugged.

"The part where I'm supposed to take orders from a redheaded runt and his follower tribe" He sneered, leaning in so he was nose to nose with the Child "Despite what you say, you _ain't_ that good"

**_It used to drive me up the walls and Boris too. From then on, there wasn't a moment I wasn't solving a riot. Spencer somehow managed to bring out the worst of each of my squad, and frankly, it was wearing me out. And really, I'm not a ray of sunshine when I'm pissed off._**

"Rascal, where's the-"

"Fuck off"

Boris blinked, startled. The Child was laying back on his bed, eyes closed, apparently trying to sleep. The purple haired man narrowed his eyes and snarled at the eleven year old, grabbing his shoulder and forcing him to stand. He glared, and to his surprise, he was glared back.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? It's midday, what kind of lazy ass are you?" The taller man snarled, but then the Child gave him a _real_ snarl. Fangs and all.

"The kind that's sick and tired of the childish nonsense going on. The one that _will not_ deal with one more of Kuznetsov's tantrums, or with Hiwatari's flares of temper, or with Kynestov's fucking pranks, or with Voroshilov's angst galore, or more importantly, with one more of Sokolov's wiseass remarks. I'm sick of it, and I'm taking a brake. Don't like the idea? Kick me out, see if _I_ care!"

**_Perhaps it was not the best way to phrase it._**

"Goddamned bastard. The nerve of him!" The Child muttered under his breath as he walked through the snowed streets "Ha! We'll see who lasts more, hn, he doesn't stand a _chance_ against them, he'll be looking for me tomorrow… the bastard…"

**_'Cause Boris had this tendency of taking things literally._**

The Child let out a sigh as he sat on the bench in the park, looking up at the sky. It was a bright day for being winter, and he smiled almost contently. Looking around, he remembered Yazel's words, and decided to give it a shot. Walking through the streets, he saw people going on around their own business and idly wondered what it felt like to be normal. Shrugging, the eleven year old stopped in front the ancient building and took a deep breath before entering.

**_I had nowhere else to go, I knew no one in the city, and I figured the Blue Moon was my best chance of surviving. They were glad to see me, and I was glad when no one asked what had happened. My stay was short though._**

"Rascal"

The Child whirled around at the name, and smirked knowingly at Boris. The purple haired man looked more pale than usual, and there were dark circles around his eyes. And the Child could be mistaken, but his cloths were slightly burnt. He snickered, looking awfully smug as he did so.

"Boss, what could _possibly_ have happened to make you of all people visit us?" Boris grinded his teeth in annoyance as the Child made a mocking bow "Could be you are looking for some… ah, _action_? I always said you were awfully lonely…" The wine colored eyes narrowed and the Child wondered if it were Boris' teeth he heard cracking under the pressure "No? But then what else? You _clearly_ said I wasn't needed anymore, among other things, the other day… you aren't here to take all that back, are you?"

"Yes…" The Child was sure it was almost painful for the taller man to let out that word.

"Oh dear, we might be in a deep trouble, _sir_, because you see, I'm now property of Ma'am Yazel… and so it's my work" The blue eyes twinkled, amused "But I'm _sure_; you can reach an agreement with her, if you're still interested in my services…"

**_He was positively livid. But I stood my ground, and he went along with it more or less in good terms. He signed a contract with Yazel, entitling me to 5 days each month away from the Abbey and a shy fee for the Blue Moon. I'm sure that contract was illegal in more than twenty levels, but from then on, Boris forbid me to ever speak of it._**

"Tala, are you ok?" Bryan frowned as he reached out for the redhead, but he recoiled from his touch.

The Child shivered as the thunderstorm raged on outside and old memories flashed into his mind. He had locked away all his fears, all those memories that hurt him, so they didn't interfere with his training and his work, but they all had one common thing. The thunderstorm. It was the key to freeing his memories and his fears, and all together, they were too hard to cope with.

Bryan frowned and reached out to touch him, looking at the strange blue glow distrustfully, but when he did, the glow flared up and he was thrown back against the wall. He groaned standing up shakily as the Child curled closer around himself. Not knowing what else to do, the pale teen ran away, looking for Boris.

**_That didn't mean things got better, but we managed to survive. My regular visits to the Blue Moon helped a lot, despite the fact Boris was still pissed off at the contract, and it was him who chose when, letting me go under the pretense of kicking me out, again. Eventually, it became a ritual of sorts._**

"Get out!"

The Child scrambled out of the office, and closed the door just as a stapler slammed against it. Laughing quietly, he walked away, mentally picturing what his squadron would do to Boris before the purple haired man admitted defeat and went to fetch him.

He stopped in a corridor though, as he heard the sounds of a fight and Spencer's laughter. With a sigh, he figured he could deal with that before leaving. He turned down the corridor just in time to see the taller blond being slammed through a door and against the wall. Frowning, the redhead ran towards him and found him unconscious, turning to the room, he saw Alexei glaring at the blond hatefully, before he stormed away.

"Alexei!" The Child felt the moist blood on the blonde's brown and snarled "Damnit!"

**_Alexei's changes were getting worrying. His caring, loving nature was slowly disappearing, replaced by hatred towards everything and everyone. He was pushing everyone away, even me._**

"Alexei!" The Child ran to the door, only to have it slammed against his face.

"Leave me alone" The green haired empath growled, leaning against the door "I'm fine, I just want to be alone!"

"Like hell you're fine!" The redhead snarled, getting more and more frustrated as time went on "You're getting violent with everyone by the smallest of things, and it's getting out of control. But hey, if you want to be alone, this is the way to get everyone away from you!"

The Child was angry, and something inside him hurt as he stormed away. Kai rose an eyebrow as he was almost stomped on by the distressed redhead.

**_Looking back, I really should have known. It was clear as daylight, but I was too hurted to see it. Alexei wanted to die._**

The Child sighed. Kai, Ian and Bryan had been sent to Volgograd to participate in a tournament with the best students from that training center, and Spencer was sick and bedridden, which meant the redhead was enjoying of an unusually calm day. He walked through the corridors with a strange feeling in his chest and as he neared his room, his, Alexei's and Bryan's; a feeling of dread settled in the pit of his stomach. He felt sick and afraid as he entered the room.

**_And there wasn't a thing we could do to stop him._**

The redhead's instincts pointed to the bathroom, and he found the door locked. Frowning, and quite unnerved, he forced it open, gasping at what he saw inside. Alexei was curled behind the toilet, hugging himself and shivering in fright. His purple glow flickered slightly as the unfocused eyes rose to meet the Child's. Ice wrapped itself around the Child's spine as he noticed the slit wrists, two long slashes along the side of his forearms, bleeding profusely. The green haired boy whimpered as the Child stepped inside.

"Oh dear lord…" The Child knelt before his friend, and his mind screeched as his empath abilities received the impact of all the suffering and hatred the younger Child felt.

"Don't…" Alexei folded his bleeding arms against him, not letting the older Child help him. His eyes, brimming with tears, looked at him pleadingly "Please… just let me go"

"Alexei…" The Child wrapped his arms around the green haired boy, resting his chin on his head "Please… don't do this…"

"I tried, Tala, I really did…" The green haired boy started sobbing, leaning in the redhead's comforting embrace "But it hurts too much… and I can't stand it anymore…"

The Child didn't know when he had started crying, but he held on the slowly dying body, absorbing some of its distress as he tried to prepare him for death. The twelve year old redhead wasn't sure of what he was doing, but figured it was for the best.

"Tell me a story before I fall asleep?" The request was uttered softly, as the green haired boy let his head rest against his friend's chest "Tell me about the Moonlight child… please"

The Child felt his eyes fill up with tears, and his voice trembling, retold the ancient story… even daring to sing the old lullaby as he hug his friend tightly, not wanting to let go.

_I don't want to be alone._

**_Boris found us the next day and everything was explained to me. I had earned that much._**

The redhead sat on the chair in front of the desk, curling protectively as he listened to the purple haired man, eyes fixed on the wood's smooth surface. He learnt Alexei's true purpose, and all that had been done in him… and that would now be done with him. How Voltaire had planned it all, and what was to come.

**_Alexei was a test. Since Boris had put so much faith in my talents, Voltaire figured it was because I was an empath, not an individual. Alexei was Voltaire's hope of proving Boris I was nothing special and I learnt that he had been kidnapped, taken by force from his family to satiate the old man's needs._**

"Go to Yazel's, it'll do you good to stay away while we clean this mess" Boris request startled the Child, but he nodded, resigned.

He stood and walked towards the door, shoulders dropped, and in general looking defeated. The tall man doubted for a second, then frowned.

"Rascal… Tala" It was the first time in almost six years that the man had called him by name. The Child turned, eyes guarded and fighting back the need to cry himself hoarse "You've gone through things that would have broken a lesser man, don't give up now"

The Child smiled thinly, and nodded, before walking away from the heavy look in the tired eyes of the purple haired man.

**_It was rough encouragement, and the first time Boris admitted he was pleased with my work. I ran back to my little corner in the Blue Moon and stayed there for three days, when I fell sick, and Yazel decided I would be better off back in the Abbey. Again, no one asked questions, and I never volunteered information._**

"You're a mess" The Child curled in bed, shivering, as the purple haired man snorted "How the hell did you catch Spencer's sickness?" The wine colored eyes were rolled with flourish, and at some level the Child was thankful Alexei wasn't mentioned.

He was put in quarantine with the blond, which distressed him even more, though he didn't say a thing. The green eyed teen didn't seem as annoyed as one would expect, but rather curious at the Child's sudden silence. Whether it was yelling orders or giving sarcastic remarks, the Child was _always_ speaking, and his radical change intrigued the blond.

**_Dealing with Spencer's inquisitive nature wasn't exactly what I needed in those moments, and I missed Bryan dearly. Yet, in those two weeks, he poked and twisted until I snapped..._**

"Earth to the angst riding redhead, are you even listening?" The blond raised an eyebrow, looking mildly annoyed at the silence in the room.

"Eh?" The Child blinked, startled from his daze, and turned to face the green eyed boy tiredly "What?"

"I said, your great absent-minded-ness, that if you fancied a game of chess, but you seem to be deep in the thought of your one true love" The dryness of the remark made the Child wince slightly, and shake his head.

"I don't know how to play…" He yawned "And I want to sleep" He curled among the covers, trying in vain to warm up from a cold that came from inside. Spencer huffed.

"Oh really, Ivanov, you've been sleeping for almost a week, what's with you? Making up for all those years as the perfect leader?" He was rewarded with silence, and he narrowed his eyes, determinate on getting a reaction out of the stoic redhead "Oh for god's sake, stop mopping around, your little pet was only relocated, it's not like he's dead or some-"

The Child whirled around and threw the covers to the ground, standing swiftly. The blond yelped as the younger boy grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down so they were eye to eye. The fear, pain, anger and impotence reflecting in the cerulean deeps scared him.

"He _is_ dead, you big prat! That relocating bullshit is to stop rumors from arising, and to stop bastards like you from terrorizing the younger students" Spencer hadn't known the redhead had such long fangs before, but he was getting quite a good look at them "He's dead, you fucking jerk, dead 'cause he couldn't cope with his work, a work that was twice as much as you and your lousy blade do. Work that was too much for a gentle soul to take it, work that coupled with every bastard in this building, every fucking idiot like you picking up on him, wasn't an easy task. He's dead, ok, by his own hand, and unless you want me to cut that fucking irreverent tongue of yours, you'll pretend to have the slightest decency, shut the fuck up and _leave me alone_"

**_And it wasn't nice. When we were released, I was much faster to snap at the smallest of faults, and my temper easily got the best of me on every occasion. Spencer, surprisingly, toned down, and become quite the fifth wall in the room, particularly when I was present. With time, though, and much of Bryan's temper to match my own, I calmed down, and as all my anger was slowly diluted into blading, I recovered some of my past mirth, and I even managed to laugh again sometimes._**

"I need you to start browsing though our top students. Hiwatari wants us to start setting up the team and the auxiliary players" He grimaced slightly, and Tala couldn't but snort.

"I gather that was a subtle way of ordering us to put his kids in the team, then?" He raised an eyebrow sardonically, smirking with mild amusement.

Boris chuckled slightly at the image of the young boy. He had to admit, though never out loud, that for all the shit Tala had gone through, he was more mature than most adults the purple haired man knew, and had to deal with.

"Exactly. Do your job for once?" The last remark was added with a risen eyebrow of his own, and Tala shrugged.

"Ian's Sherra is working just fine, and so is Kai's Dranzer. They'll be just fine through the elimination tournament, but..." The redhead's brow furrowed slightly though "Permission to speak freely sir"

"Granted, the hell you want, rascal?"

"The new kid. Sokolov. I don't particularly like him, Boss" Tala scowled "He's not trustworthy. His blade and his style are perfect for the team, and he'll surely pass through the tournament easily, but... I'm not so sure having him in the team will be a good idea"

"Hn. He's the little pest isn't he?" Boris shrugged slightly "Doesn't matter though. I've got a few cards to keep him in his place. You shouldn't have so much trouble with him... and now if that's all, scram; I have a room fool of bureaucratic fools trying to get under my skin"

"Sir, yes sir"

**_Despite my doubts, the elimination tournament was held, and the Demolition Boys were formed. Kai, Ian, Spencer, Bryan and I. It wasn't exactly what I had had in mind, but I figured I could deal with them. Unfortunately, Boris decided it was a good moment for us to "Bound as a team" …with a fucking trip into the forest._**

The Child took a deep breath. Bryan stood at his side, amused smirk on his face as he watched the scene unfold before them. Kai and Spencer were in the middle of a glaring contest as Ian sat back, rubbing the quickly swelling bump on his head.

He was sure normal thirteen year olds didn't go through that kind of thing normally.

"You gotta admit it was obviously going to happen" The pale boy mentioned casually and the redhead gave him his own death glare.

"Yet you needn't be the sparkle that started the fire" Bryan had the nerve to look smug.

"You assume too much"

"You _imply_ too much" Taking a deep breath, he whistled and once he had their attention, glared "Look, I don't want to be here more than you, but I'm guessing we can survive this situation _if_ you can manage to get a hold of your _adorable_ childish traits and concentrate on the important thing"

"Who the fuck died and made you leader?"

**_You gotta love Kai and his eternal stubbornness. We were in the middle of nowhere, alone, at dusk, with little provisions and he wanted to know why I was taking charge._**

"Number one, I am, military speaking, your superior by rank and experience. Two, I'm the Capitan of this team. And three and most important, _I'm not going to fucking die in the middle of nowhere, just because you feel like questioning my authority, now shut the fuck up and gather some wood to make a fire!_" There was silence in the clearing as the redhead snarled "**_NOW!_**"

Ian, Spencer and Kai scrammed.

"I have to give it to you… you know how to scare people"

Bryan got a death glare for his remark.

**_We survived that, and it was the rocky start of a friendship. I still didn't trust Spencer as a whole, but the World Championships were coming closer, and I wasn't entirely sure we were ready._**

"Cylah, attack!" Bryan's bit beast, the majestic silver falcon, emerged from his blade with a screech and shattered his opponent's blade with ease.

The pale teen remained unexpressive though, and the only indication of his triumph was a slight twist of his lips. As he walked back to the team's bench, Tala scolded him.

"Too long. You still play too much with them, Bryan" The pale boy shrugged, but Tala glared at the rest of the team "Quick battles. Our true opponents are the American team, and we needn't to give them more information on us than necessary"

His eyes turned towards the crowd, where he caught sight of the Americans, and he grimaced.

**_We won, not with the ease Voltaire would have wanted, but we had shown we were the best, despite the cost._**

The Child smiled softly, his eyes gentle, as he wrapped the bandages around Ian's arms. The shorter boy winced every once in a while, but was generally silent.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you…" The redhead eyes were soft, reflecting so much light, it was almost impossible to believe he was the same blader who had so mercilessly defeated their opponents; hours ago "Voltaire was in the audience. I couldn't show I cared and…"

"Relax Red" The red eyed teen grinned "I'll be fine; it'll take more than a few cuts to get you rid of me"

They chuckled softly at that, and despite being younger, the redhead couldn't but ruffle Ian's hair, fondly.

"Rest… you're relieved from your training until the wounds heal properly, ok?"

Ian nodded, and satisfied, the redhead walked out of the room and upwards, towards Boris' office.

**_Boris was pleased._**

"Enter"

The Child slid into the room, closing the door softly behind him, and walked towards the desk until he was standing before it.

"You and your team may take a week off, Rascal" Boris smirked, his eyes flashing with something akin to content "You earned that much, it seems"

"Thank you sir" The Child bowed slightly, then tilted his head to the side slightly "Did we win as barely as I felt it?"

"Yes… but your work wasn't as worthless as Hiwatari's claims accused" The man's lips thinned "His expectations are unmeasured and impossible to fulfill… yet"

He was silent for a moment as he watched the boy carefully. He was processing what he had said, as usual, and was trying to figure out what he meant. The wine colored eyes fell on a book on his desk, then back to the Child.

"Scram boy, I have things to do" He waved dismissingly.

"Yes sir" The redhead nodded and turned towards the door, before he could reach the handle though, he was stopped.

"Rascal" The Child turned, a hand still over the handle, eyes slightly curious.

The man threw the book to him, harshly, and the Child caught it by reflex. Looking down at it curiously, he blinked startled. It was a thick book, and the covers were the same color of the man's eyes. _Crime and Punishment_, it read, in stylish golden letters, the title of the Child's favorite novel. Boris smirked, and shrugged.

"Good job"

The Child smiled and nodded, before he left the room in silence, the leather covered book safely tucked in his arms.

**_With that victory came fame. Suddenly, whenever I left the Abbey in my monthly visits to the Blue Moon, people pointed and recognized me. It was aggravating, but Rose seemed to find it amusing._**

"What do you know, our pipsqueak is a star!" The pink haired woman laughed as the Child fought to free himself from the headlock. She ruffled his hair contently "Aw, I'm so proud!"

"Gah!"

"Rose!" Beth came to the rescue, wrapping her arms protectively around the redhead "Leave him alone"

"But-"

"Nothing… Tala, Ma'am Yazel wants you to go and buy some bread for dinner" She slip him a fifty ruble bill and shooed him out of the room.

**_Up to that point, I hadn't had any contact with 'normal' people my age and I didn't really made much of it. However, Kai had recently gotten himself engaged, and despite the fact he hated people telling him what to do, he didn't seem too upset about the news._**

The girl looked at them curiously, blue eyes showing genuine interest in them. None of the boys at the abbey had seen a member of the opposite gender in a very long time, and the unfamiliar presence made them act somewhat hostile towards her. She didn't seem to mind, in fact, it seem to amuse her slightly. She wasn't mean or loud, in fact, she seemed to be the quiet, mouse-like type. Ian and Kai had known her for a long while, that was for sure, considering how they acted around her. The Child found himself curious about her, as he could sense her to be quite a special person.

**_Once I met his 'fiancé', it didn't take me long to figure out why._**

The girl, Omikami, smiled lightly as she placed a hand above the wound, not touching it. A pale white glow appeared, small sparks falling on the nasty wound, slowly closing it up. A few seconds later, she removed her hand, smiling. The skin was flawless. The Child blinked at his arm, then grinned up at her.

"You needn't do that, but thanks" He dusted his cloths, retrieving his fallen blade.

"You're distracted" She pointed out with a soft smile "You could have easily beaten Bryan otherwise. And there's no need to be a psychic to figure that one out" She added as an afterthought, blinking.

"Oh, you know. The tournament's coming up soon… just… nervous I guess" The Child shrugged "And no, I will _not_ show you my empathy" He gave her a respectable dark glare, but she just shrugged it off.

"Can't blame a girl for trying" She grinned slightly, ruffling his hair affectionately "Now, you said you had this photos of Kai you wanted to show me…?"

"I don't care what you can do, or how you look, you're _evil_" The Child pointed out with a risen eyebrow as the girl laughed softly.

**_I should have known, really, that things never go too smoothly for me. I should have felt the dark shadow that towered over me, but I was too entranced by the apparent calm in my life to realize what was going on. What was to come._**

Something was terribly wrong; the Child could feel it in his very core. He followed the rest of the students as they surrounded the experiment dish and watched with the rest as the new blade was presented. The ultimate blade, the most powerful of them all, Black Dranzer.

The Child could see Kai's eyes fill with awe at the power display, and even Bryan was watching attentively… but he felt disgust. Vile rose into his throat at the sight of the hell-bent bit beast, it's red eyes so full of hatred… it made him wonder who would be able to use it without going insane, or where could it have come from.

**_All the students were in a riot by the power Black Dranzer had displayed, but I wondered if they didn't realize that they were fawning over a damned blade. Kai was certainly enthusiastic._**

The Child's eyes shot open as he heard steps in the corridor, looking at the clock in nightstand between his and Bryan's bed, he frowned. It was too early to be a guard, so it had to be a student… He sighed. Moving out of bed silently, he slid a pair of white jeans on, and a t-shirt, before sliding into the corridor, making sure not to wake Bryan. He followed the soundless steps and the shadow ahead, until he reached the experimental dish, and cold dread settled in his stomach. The reassuring weight of his blade in his pocket made him feel better, though he was still nervous. As he entered the room, he froze at what he saw.

**_Too enthusiastic._**

"Kai!"

At the sound of his name, the dual haired boy tripped from his perch over the automatic launcher, falling into the dish, black blade in hand. He stood up swiftly, knowing he was in trouble, and met the Child's eyes shyly.

"I-" The Child breathed deeply, as he neared the dish, but the bit in the blade started to glow menacingly.

"Kai… what are you doing here?" The Child's hand slid into his pants' pocket, fingering his blade and launcher as Kai attached the black blade to his launcher "Kai… you know you don't really want to do that"

"I…" The blunette's hands trembled, and the Child slowly, very slowly raised his hands, as if to calm him, taking a tentative step forward "Don't come any closer!"

"Kai…"

"What's the meaning of this?" The back door slammed opened, and Boris stepped into the room, hell and fury written all over his face.

It happened in a second, Kai lost control, and he launched the blade against the Child, who dodged it barely. Out of control, the black blur freed the dark bit beast, which started to set everything it touched in fire. Kai screamed as the blade sped towards him and fell to the ground unconscious.

"Kai!" The Child screamed as the fire got larger, but the flames were dark, almost black.

"Damnit!" Boris muttered curse made nothing to sooth the Child, as the man tried to regain control of the situation.

The Child was afraid, but he also knew that something had to be done. He knew he shouldn't, and Valkov had told him what could happen if he did, but fear of letting Kai die as he had done with Alexei made him choose. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on his guarding energy, he thought of his frozen homeland, of the ice god and the blizzards he loved so much. And it happened, he could feel himself glow, temperature drop and ice growing all around him, spreading and killing the fire.

But it also hurt like anything else the boy had felt before. His whole spine was on fire, and he felt his vision blur by the intensity of pain. And yet he didn't dare to give up, he would not fail again.

"Rascal! Stop it!" Boris growl barely registered in his mind as he finally lost control, falling back against the wall, eyes half lidded with effort.

There was a loud crack and the Child's eyes widened as a support from the ceiling broke, falling directly his way. He closed his eyes, looking away in fright, knowing he wouldn't be able to move out of the way in time.

**_I finally found out why Boris was so confident in my abilities._**

But the hit never came. Raising his eyes, he saw the metal beam surrounded by a black glow, held mid air. Turning his surprised eyes towards Boris, he saw the man raising his arm, pointing at the metal beam, the same strange glow surrounding him in a steady flow. Black Dranzer screeched, flapping her wings angrily, and glared at both of them. Boris flickered his hand lazily to the side, and the heavy metal beam fell to the ground with a thud.

"That has been quite enough" His voice was firm and steady, and Black Dranzer glowed in the same black glow that he did "Return to your blade and keep silent"

To the Child's absolute surprise, the dark beast obeyed, folding her wings around herself and sinking back into the spinning top. He stood there, shaking and completely flabbergasted.

The purple haired man gave him a one shoulder shrug and a light smirk.

**_Because they were his own._**

The Child watched with sad eyes as Kai was taken away, and flinched at the poisonous glare Voltaire sent him and Boris. The car sped away, and the Child sighed. How was he supposed to explain to Ian what had happened, when he barely understood it himself?

The tall man turned and walked towards the North tower, where his office was located, but stopped at the entrance of the tower, eyes boring into the Child's. He raised an eyebrow, and the Child scrambled to catch up with him.

**_He was an empath and an elemental, like me, but many circumstances had deformed and rotten away the true nature of his power. The very situations he instigated me to overcome._**

The Child listened, eyes cast down, in fear of interrupting the man. He learned about the war, and the danger of making the wrong choices and the price one had to pay for them. He finally got to know who the woman in the portrait on Boris' desk was. And how she had died. It wasn't a biography, or a narrative. The man spoke in short, simple sentences, but the Child could read well the undertones in each of them, understanding the true meaning of the man's expressions. In the end, one thing was clear.

He would never be able to look at the man the same way again.

**_My respect for him increased tenfold after that night._**

The Child watched with sad eyes as they took their blades away, and he knew in his heart he would never be the same again. He didn't resent Valkov, though, no… this was Voltair's orders, once more deeming them unworthy, weak. He felt betrayed, angry, but in a sense, it all paled to a dark feeling that was starting to chew his consciousness. It was a foreign feeling, one that didn't belonged to him, one that he knew, _felt_, that he wasn't supposed to have.

For the first time in his life, the Child felt the roots of Hatred in his soul.

**_We were World Champions. We were the elite bladers in the world, no one stood a chance against is and yet… yet Voltair wanted more. Always more._**

"You hate it, don't you?" The Child turned to the side, noticing Valkov was standing next to him, watching the actions below with disdain "God knows I do" The Child smiled wryly.

They watched as the bit beasts were taken into special tanks by the scientists, the various equipment around the room roaring to life.

"Do you even believe in God?" He didn't think the words, they just… came out naturally.

"Touché" The purple haired man snorted with a smirk, giving him a look of mild, distant amusement "They should be ready for the next tournament"

"Yes, but will _we_?" There was a pretty damn pathetic note on his voice.

Ever since Kai was gone, the Child found it harder and harder to keep a less than pessimist out look on his situation. Boris frowned, but it was gone quickly with a roll of his eyes.

"Go pester Yazel, I have work to do, and not the will nor the time to deal with your moping" He smirked as the Child narrowed his eyes self-consciously.

"I do not mop sir" There was a particularly arrogant tone to that response, but the Child started to walk away.

"Try again in a few years Rascal, you might actually manage to brood" The purple haired man called, not bothering to look at him.

**_I lost, or I thought I had lost, all my powers the night Anuk became Wolborg._**

The Child sat alone in his room, hugging himself and wondering why he felt so empty inside now that the voices and the feelings had stopped. Gone where all the extras of his mind, the dark Abbey, the house of all his fears and despair-filled nightmares suddenly stopped feeling threatening to him. It was just another building, and despite the fact he had emotional ties to the place, it was just a building. The Child was a logic creature by nature, despite the root of his power was emotion. He lived in a precarious balance of emotion against logic all the time, feeling what others felt, but doing what his mind told him to. It was that control that kept him safe, sane. It was that control that allowed him to be where he was, to put behind him the past, to learn from his experience but not dwell on his misery. He knew he was strong, and he knew it not in that pathetic, arrogant way he used to annoy others, no. He knew his limits, the pros and cons of everything he did, his strengths and his weaknesses, he knew himself inside out. That was what had made him survive all he had gone through, a true, honest knowledge of himself, and of what he wanted.

But as he sat on the roof, watching the night sky, he couldn't but help feeling lost. He had had his gifts since birth, they were part of who he was and now… now they were gone. He felt empty, strangely so. A huge part of him was missing, and he felt cold. He didn't think it was the snow, he had lived among snow all his life and he loved it, but he felt cold.

The chill came from the inside.

So he sat there and wondered if this was the kind of thing Valkov felt daily, the emptiness of knowing you once possessed something magical and it was brutally stripped from you.

Alone in a rooftop of possibly the closest thing to hell on earth, the Child cried.

**_We were supposed to start with the training for the Championships, everything was set, really. The schedules were done, the schemes, Voltair's demands. Everything. And I absolutely loathed everything that it came from it, the experiments he was pushing Valkov to perform on me, the change of the bit beasts, the lack of respect at the meaning of life, the useless celebrations he orchestrated. The fact he thought he owned me._**

The ballroom was filled with people dressed overly smartly, women in long expensive dresses covered in jewelry and over applied make up and men in tailored suits that tried to reflect a personality when in truth they were just a clone of the man next to them.

It was people pretending to be aristocrats, rulers, royalty.

The Child was fairly uncomfortable in the whole atmosphere, he needn't his abilities as an empath to know this people were fake and vain, and it was absolutely disgusting for him to deal with them.

"Stop playing with your tie" The admonishing whisper made the Child drop his hands from the black tie on his neck and sulk in silence "For god's sake, this' a formal ceremony, no one's giving you the red envelope"

The Child looked up at the purple haired man, a wry smile making it's way to his lips, while he shook his head slightly.

"You do know I hate you for this, right?" He gave the taller man a risen eyebrow that spoke volumes of his dislike of the situation, but he got only a half shrugged as a response.

"Deal with it. Hiwatari specifically wanted you to be here" He smirked nastily, looking down at the boy from his prominent nose "Come to think about it, I believe it's just a big irony for the man, my personal _pet-street-rat_ among the most refined, elite of eastern Europe. Plain sick if you ask me"

"No, that you forced me into a bloody suit with tie and all is what's sick" Boris' lips twisted into a mocking smirk "Screw it, is the fact that you _enjoy_ seeing me squirm under the judging stares what is the sickest. Bastard"

"Now, now, Mr. Ivanov, that's most certainly not the appropriate language for a gentleman of your caliber"

The Child wasn't sure of what was bothering him more, the fact that the man was almost mocking him, or the fact that he was almost enjoying the sudden, less vicious attention.

And then came Voltair, arrogantly looking down at others, trying to be pleasant while being unbearably acid. It was, flat and simple, disgusting. He gave a speech about many things, mainly his greatness, and how it was them, the elite of society the ones that would make the world a better place and loads of lies and exaggerating ego stroking that made the Child sick in the stomach.

"Now, I ask my closest partner in this dream, Lord Boris Valkov, to have a word with us tonight" The Child couldn't bite back the minute snort as the man's back tensed with the added nobility title.

The Child watched with a carefully carved mask the speech of his employer, a pleasant poker mask, but a mask nonetheless. The man hated aristocracy, the way things had gone since the fall of the Union and how by some sick twist of fate he ended up among them. Boris Valkov wasn't a Lord, he was a soldier, and he absolutely loathed being there.

The Child wondered if it was some sick consolation to the man, the fact he hated being there as much as he did.

**_You know, it's kinda sad when you realize that the only father figure you have is that of a psychotic Lieutenant who's hell bent on preventing you from living the same hell he did, unknowingly, or worse, purposely throwing you into it. Pathetic really, but what else would you call my life?_**

"Remind me to never get on your bad side?" Bryan mused with a lighthearted smirk, watching the redhead pound against the sandbag.

It was poetic really, the Child was angry, and instead of taking out on someone, he did it against an inanimate object, with such a display of grace and power it was quite flagbastering.

"I need a brake" The Child muttered, resting his sweaty brow against the leather of the bag.

"No, you need to get drunk, but both are out of the question" Bryan corrected, snorting "Boris wants you to meet him in his office"

"Aw, _brilliant_, can't my day get any more…" He fumbled for the word as he walked towards the exit. Bryan snickered.

"_Brilliant_?" The pale teen supplied with a smirk, chuckling lowly at the death glare that got sent his way.

"Stuff it, Feather-Brain, go bug Spencer or something"

Ignoring the louder chuckles, the Child crossed the maze of corridors and staircases into the North tower, muttering under his breath. He knocked on the double doors of Boris' office and there was a gruff _enter_ from the other side. Opening the door, he winced at the recalcitrant smell of tobacco in the room and automatically moved to open a window. Taking a deep breath he grimaced.

"You wanted to see me sir" He resisted the urge to cough as Boris let out another puff of smoke.

"Not particularly" The Child made a brave effort to stop himself from rolling his eyes, but fail miserably "Yazel wants you to stay there for a week and a half. Apparently you have painting duty that's long overdue" He smirked nastily as the Child didn't bother to hide his groan.

"Must I?" He didn't care if he had to do double training, he _hated_ painting, particularly since Yazel made it a habit to point out all his mistakes when he was doing so.

"Yes, you must and you will" The purple haired man smirked "Grab your stuff, I'm dropping you by, since I have business that side of town"

"Yes sir" The redhead sighed, resigned.

"Beat it Rascal, I ain't got all day"

**_On the upside, I wouldn't have met Ruth if I weren't so damn pathetic._**

The Child was resting in a bench at the Wiseman's park, laying back and contemplating his situation in silence. It was almost a year since he had last seen Kai… he wondered what the troublesome blunette would be up to. Ian had been really down after his cousin had left, and the little bugger had sought… well, the Child wasn't entirely sure what the short teen had sought, but he apparently found it with his friendship with him. He was just about to go deeper into his thoughts about that when his healthy dose of sunlight was cut by a shadow over him. Opening an eye to glare at whoever was blocking his sun, the redhead tried to make out the image of the person next to him.

"Do you mind?" He snapped slightly annoyed.

"Well, yeah, now that you ask, yeah I do" The voice was melodious, soft and slightly high pinched, but not enough to be annoying "You're occupying _my_ bench"

"Sorry, but I don't see your name on it" The redhead retorted irritably "So you can either go away or sit on me, your choice"

The redhead shot up with a splutter as the newcomer sat on his lap.

"Hey!" He glared at her, now finally able to see her features.

"Well, _you_ gave me a choice, and I picked!" The girl shrugged, fainting innocence.

Her hair was a mess. A riot of forest green locks that fell around her face, held back into a precarious half bun, reaching down to her shoulder blades. Flashing violet eyes met his, amused, a wry smirk tugging at her lips. She wore a long, black cotton skirt that reached her ankles and a long sleeved white v-necked shirt. A pair of sandals and a denim backpack complemented the look as he narrowed his eyes slightly at her.

"Very funny, get off" He was irritated and he needed some time to himself. Time this obnoxious brat would _not_ upset.

"Gee, I wonder if I should have asked you an autograph first" Sliding off him, she took a seat next to him, grinning "Then you might have been more likeable"

"Pah"

"And so articulated!" The green haired girl laughed slightly as the redhead sulked "Sorry, couldn't resist… Ruth Vasileieva"

"Tala Ivanov" He gave her a curious look, shrugging "You're weird" He blurted out.

"And you're quite pathetic yourself, but I'm not complaining" She grinned lopsidedly, not taking offence by his comment, seemingly amused.

"Do you have a point, or just pick random guys to annoy at parks?" He rose an eyebrow at her, expecting her to get angry.

"A point? Not really" She shrugged "It's just that you don't find the World Champion napping on a park in the ugly side of town everyday" She grinned as the Child huffed.

But before he realized it, he was deep within an argument with the other teen, finding her antics amusing. She was witty, but soft spoken, she said what she thought but mostly minding what his opinion was, so as to not get in direct conflict with him. She did have a rebellious streak within her, and it amused him greatly. Slowly, he found himself curious of his, apparently, new friend, wondering where she came from, who she was.

**_Surprisingly, she cared. She really gave a damn about who I was and what I felt. She worried about me, and eventually I started to reciprocate at a deeper level. I had always been taking care of someone, but until then, no one had bothered to take care of me._**

"When I get out of here, consider yourself dead Ruth, dead and buried" The Child growled as he held the wall tightly.

"You know, your threats would be more convincing if you weren't making a fool of yourself" She skated towards him gracefully, violet eyes alight with mirth as she traced a semi circle around him "I thought you were an Ice elemental?"

"Well yes, but that doesn't mean I can do this" The redhead snapped back, eyes narrowed as he felt his cheeks warm slightly in embarrassment.

"Nonsense, all you need is a little pull" The green haired teen illustrated her point by pulling his arm harshly, thus getting him away from the safety of the wall.

"No, Ruth…"

"And a push in the right direction"

"_Ruth!_" The redhead's panicked squeak as he was sent away only caused the green haired girl to laugh "Gah!"

He ended up at the other side of the skating rink, his eyes two swirling spirals as he hold to the wall. Ruth skated towards him with ease, chuckling under breath as she helped him out of the rink.

"God, I really, really hate you" The redhead muttered as he got out of the evil skates, his feet thanking him as soon as he got his boots on "Why again did I agree to let you drag me here?" He asked sourly as Ruth got her shoes on, the annoying smile still on her face.

"'Cause you love me and 'cause you know you wouldn't let your girlfriend wander into this place alone and defenseless" The green haired girl pointed out with a grin.

"Defenseless my ass" The Child retorted scowling.

"But such a nice ass it is" Ruth laughed again as the Child spluttered indignantly "C'mon, you still owe me lunch"

"You'll be the death of me woman" The redhead muttered darkly as she attached herself to his arm, giggling at his tantrum.

**_But she wasn't, not for lack of trying, but for lack of time. So once we knew things weren't going to last, I guess we made the best of what we had._**

The Child had his eyes fixed in the streets below. Resting his forehead against the chilly crystal of the window, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall, he wondered what the hell he had done or why. He didn't mind the cold of dawn, rather comfortable with the pair of pants he was wearing, his hair still damp from the shower. There was a rustle of cloths behind him, and moments later a warmth settled next to him as Ruth joined him in the window, wearing only the crumpled shirt he had been wearing the day before.

"What are you looking at?" Her eyes were slightly half lidded and her voice still thick with sleep.

_Cars coming and going, people whose lives aren't as fucked up as mine, falling snow, busy streets…_

"Nothing" The redhead answered finally, not bothering to turn to face her, knowing full well he'd lose that little pretense of control he had over the situation if he did "Boris is going to kill me for this" He mused with a slight grin, pretending not to feel the ting of arousal as she pressed against his side, her chin resting on his shoulder.

_Don't leave…_

"I doubt it" Her voice was amused, her eyes closed as her breath softly caressed his neck "He won't have much to kill if Dad gets you first" Blue eyes flickered to gaze at her, something undefined swirling behind them.

"You really know how to make a guy feel special" The Child mused out loud and Ruth hit him lightly for the remark "What time do you leave?" A sigh.

"At midday. I'm supposed to meet Dad for a light lunch at the Station… will… will you be there?" Her hesitant tone made his heart clench, but he refused to let it show.

"Sure" He finally turned from the window, looking at her fully, eyes half lidded.

Her hair was even messier than usual, ruffled by sleep. Her pale face lacked all pretense of make up, her lips quirked in a half smile, eyes slightly less brighter than usual. His shirt looked ridiculously big on her, the hem reaching her mid tights, the short sleeves reaching her elbows. Orange was not a color that looked well on her, and yet… yet, at that moment, the Child couldn't recall a more arousing image. Leaning in, he kissed her softly, running a hand over her ridiculously unkept hair.

"I'm going to take a shower, ok?" She whispered after they broke away and he grinned wolfishly.

"Want me to give you a hand with that?" He was teasing, obviously, but he couldn't but chuckle as her eyes widened in mortification.

"Tala!"

As he laughed at her slight tantrum, he couldn't but feel the need to cry.

_Don't leave!_

**_He knew, all along he knew what she meant to me, but he never said a thing against it._**

The Child was sitting on the rail of the window, the soft breeze caressing his face. It was still chilly with the last remains of Spring but already filled with that sweet scent only Summer could give. The redhead watched as the last practice matches of the day were held in the main patio, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as Ian sent Spencer a particularly nasty attack.

"She left today" He spoke after a long silence, not bothering to look at the man in the desk. Boris looked at him for a long moment, as if regarding him for the first time before he spoke.

"It was for the best" He said finally, his voice even and controlled.

"I think I loved her" The Child admitted softly, chucking slightly "Never got the nerve to tell her, though" He shrugged, turning to meet his elder's gaze.

"Some things are better left unsaid" The older man concluded with a slight shake of his head "They hurt less that way"

"Truth hurts" The redhead agreed, smiling slightly, startling the stoic man with the shyness of the gesture "Thank you"

But before he could answer, the redhead was gone, leaving him staring an empty space, the wind softly whispering against the curtains. Shaking his head from his musings, the wine eyed man returned to work, a wry smirk pulling at his lips.

"It was for the best"

**_But I had little time to ponder my love life, or lack of. In no time we were already fighting the Worlds and Voltair gave me yet another low hit. Kai, unconscious of who he was, was participating with an amateur team._**

"Calm down!" Bryan growled as the redhead shook with anger.

A fist slammed against the wall, cracking the concrete with a startling ease. The Child's breathing was shallow as he grinded his teeth, trying to keep his cool. Ian and Spencer stepped back, not entirely sure they wanted to deal with the sudden flare of temper of their Capitan.

"Sorry" He breathed after a while, the anger melting into dull annoyance "I just… I can't believe the old man uses everyone like that, it pisses me off"

"I know Red… but for now it's for the best we follow the flow" The Child nodded at Bryan's words, giving them all a weary smile.

"I don't think I can look at Kai without punching the living daylights out of him… anyone mind keeping him away from me?"

They laughed at the comment, but the Child knew it was empty, fake.

**_I wanted to kill him. I really did. That wasn't Kai. Kai was stubborn as a mule, but noble to a fault. My best friend would never forsake his friends in favor of power, no mattering how tempting it was. He knew friendship was the only thing that remained. When Kai joined us, betraying his team, I was glad I didn't have my power anymore. I would have killed him otherwise._**

"Get out of my way" The Child growled fiercely, storming away the corridors.

"Gee, friendly team capitan you have" Kai snorted, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. The redhead stopped mid stride and whirled around, eyes flashing feraly. Ian and Spencer unconsciously took a step back.

"You little-"

"Tala" Bryan's ice coated voice made the redhead stop "Don't you have trainees to intimidate?" He rose an eyebrow sardonically and the redhead caught the idea, though he wasn't about to let the remark slide.

"Don't you have innocents to slaughter?" He called back, eyes narrowing dangerously at Kai, before he stalked away, ignoring the rude gesture coming from his pale teammate.

Ian snickered as Bryan rolled his eyes, and the three teammates walked away, leaving Kai behind.

**_When Kai left to confront his team, I wasn't sure of what I felt, but somehow I knew he was going back to them. I guess you could say I was pleased, but it was rather bittersweet._**

"You're aware he's not coming back, right?" The redhead mused out loud as he watched the blunette slid away into the helicopter from his perch in the window.

"Oh, _we_ know that" Boris retorted from the desk, something that sounded suspiciously like a snicker making its way out of his throat "But the fact Hiwatari will have a coronary when he finds out almost makes me wish I could be there to see it"

"Yeah" The redhead muttered as his eyes glassed slightly, getting lost in thought "Boss?"

"What?"

"Do you reckon we'll get out of this one alive?" The now clear eyes turned to the tall man with an uncertain look. Valkov twisted his lips slightly.

"No" He answered truthfully after a long silence, shrugging slightly "At least I don't expect us to"

"…Oh" The Child looked away then, not wanting the man to see the flash of fear that suddenly cursed through him "I have training to do sir, excuse me"

The redhead walked out of the office, though both knew he had nothing of the sort. The purple haired man watched him go, something he couldn't quite name but that strongly resembled guilt tugging at his conscience as the Child closed the door behind him.

He sighed.

**_But Voltair still wanted more. He took Kai's betrayal to heart, and blamed us for it. To him, if I had costed him his grandson, the only way to atone with the situation would be to win the Championships. And for the first time since I had met him, Boris reveled against a direct order from him._**

"You can still back down" The Child turned from the window, eyes locking with Boris', a wry smirk twisting his lips.

"I could still go back to Yazel, but that's not the way we do things" His smirk widening slightly, he corrected himself "That's not the way you taught me to do things"

"You'll end up killing yourself if you keep thinking that way" The tall man chided with a glare, but surprisingly, there was a tint of dread in his voice "Voltair is sick"

"Some would say that so are we" The Child retorted with a snort, remembering the loathing filled look the Asians had sent their way after Bryan's match "I still have the last word in this, and I say we go on with it" Valkov scowled, annoyed and frustrated, and the redhead shrugged "Lets make a deal"

"Oh?" The wine eyed man rose an eyebrow, suddenly curious at the Child's antics.

"You do this, and after the battle, you take me back home" The Child smiled softly at the startled face of his mentor "I want to see my mother's grave"

Valkov frowned, eyes scanning the Child's, looking for signs of fear or doubt, but he found none. Only a bittersweet sense of resignation remained, that of the man that has started his walk towards certain death. He suddenly felt painfully aware of what the _man_ before him was trying to do. When had things changed like that? When his ward became his retainer? Shaking his head slightly, he figured it wouldn't do any bad to play his game.

"Fine, we'll go" To the Child's surprise, the man smiled faintly, nothing but a ghost of a real smile, but the feeling was there "Perhaps… perhaps I might even let you buy some flowers for her"

The Child's eyes softened, both knowing what was going on, what was going to happen, but refusing to let it show. Nodding, he smiled.

"Perhaps"

**_But the team was broken, it didn't take a genius to realize that. Ian was depressed, Spencer worried, Bryan in his personal guilt trip and I… well, I was trying to keep my sanity intact. Boris knew we would lose, he told me so, but even before that, I had the feeling we were damned already. And it hurt to realize everything was going to end so badly._**

"Look at yourself, what are you now? An obedient soldier who will comply to any order" His voice snapped the child out of his little daze, but he could still detect the thick disgust in the man's voice.

"I do what is required to survive" He don't know why he turned defensive at that moment, but his eyes narrowed as he placed the glass down the desk.

"Bullshit" The redhead blinked at the plain and undignified response "You do what you're told to do. But learn it well, Rascal, it's not worth it in the end"

"I…" Finding he couldn't counter that, the Child sighed bitterly "I know"

The music became the only sound in the room again, and for a long moment he thought about Valkov's words. Was this really how things were going to end? Just like that?

"It's getting late, you need to rest for your important match tomorrow" The Child don't bother to hide a snort at the hidden irony in his words, and shrugged.

"I'll be seeing you around, then sir" He was sure the man wanted him gone so he could get drunk beyond the point of no return.

Receiving no answer, the Child turned towards the double doors, feeling caged and trapped like he hadn't in years.

"Tala" He stopped and turned, one hand still in the handle.

"Sir?"

"Promise me something, brat" There was a note of hopelessness in the man's voice that made him sick to the stomach "Don't become a man like me"

**_Afterwards… afterwards I didn't get a chance to see him again. But I knew what he meant, and I really tried. I really did my best. You didn't deserve the shit we had to go through, none of you did, and I'm really, really sorry I haven't been a better leader. I… I just don't want to be alone._**

The redhead was standing in the distance, hugging himself tightly, holding to the last thread of his sanity. They were back in the void, where the Child was nowhere to be seen. The redhead shook with fear, the erratic blue glow around him as he slowly got farther and farther from them. They tried to call out to him, but they found their voices were gone. They tried to run towards him, but their bodies wouldn't move. A silver glow surrounded the redhead, embracing his own aura, and radiating a warmth the others found strange. A shadow appeared behind him, arms coming to rest around the upset redhead, the taller figure slowly became clearer and they stared.

_He's not alone anymore… and neither are you._

The silver eyes flashed as they were blinded again, taken back into real time, as the redhead sunk into the familiar embrace, trying to get his mind back into order, regaining control of himself. As memories pushed and pulled each other, trying to reach where they belonged, the five teens were forced away, the last thing they saw being Nied wrapping her arms protectively over her son, the shadow of the ice wolf over them.

And then they saw no more.

**

* * *

**

_Notes on this chapter:_

_God it's over… you have no idea how long it took to piece this chapter together, the time line, the interactions, the people… it was **painful**. Fortunately, it came out way better than I had expected and I'm really pleased with it, I just hope you liked it as much as I did. I seriously encourage you to review, to comment on this since your opinion really matters to me. Review damn it! XD_

_Also, through all the chapter Tala's referred as "The Child", this has to do with the title and to Sherak's comment last chapter "Gaia's gift to humans". But don't worry, who better to explain it than Anuk himself? ;)_

_Now to the real notes…_

**_Eva's situation._**_ Sad, but true. It's not uncommon for foreigners, even tourists, to be held back in Russia. The police have a right to ask for your migration papers at any given time, and in case you failed to provide them you are to be arrested. I know dozens of similar cases, when people marry Russians and end up stuck back there, without means of returning to their original countries. It's a sad, harsh situation, but no less true._

**_Eva's Spanish slang…_** Nada,_ nothing._Tia Eva,_ Aunt Eva. For those of you who are curious enough, Eva is the Spanish for Eve, you know, the first woman ever created? Kinda fitting for Tala's surrogate mother, ne?_

**_Boris nobility title._**_ God, this _is_ complicated. To make a long story short, in Russia, you have no titles of nobility, not assigned by the government, but they are respected if they come from another country. Boris mother was German and his father Russian (if anyone took notice of my previous rant about Russian names, you know his name was Ivan and why)., but his father received a nobility title from Austria, thus he lost his Russian nationality to accept the Austrian (In Russia, you cannot have double nationality, like in Mexico, Spain or USA for example). Thus, if you scowl down to the time line, his father was already dead when he was born, and he inherited the title and the nationality at birth. He's Russian by birth, but Austrian by title. Hope I didn't made it too confusing. XD All this has a point for later in the fic, promise._

**_Empathy_**_. I bet this one has raised a few questions. Literally, empathy is the ability to connect with other's emotions, in other words, feel what others feel. In the fic though, I follow through the line of thought of a Wicca Covent, whose leader I know personally, and who gave me a rather lengthy explanation on the subject. More details later on._

**_The Red Envelope_**_. During the old regime (Communism), the KGB periodically made interrogations to the population, most times at random, but it didn't generally go well with people, as most were suspected of treason or spying. The summons was usually a dreadful situation for a family and was clearly signed by receiving a red envelope. Thus, Boris mocking Tala with the mention of the envelope was a way of telling him he was making a big deal out of nothing. But then again, we know the purple flag post doesn't do concern, ne?_

**_The Wiseman's Park._**_ It's a rather large green area in Moscow, where there's a statue of Yaroslav the Wise (1019 - 1054 a. D.), one of the first rulers of the Russian empire._

_Also, this fic had many sources of inspiration, mostly music, but three special pieces of art specifically helped bringing light into this fic. They are Japanese fan art **I do not own**. Unfortunately I also ignore the owner and I'm posting this link without consent, but without claiming ownership on them. **They aren't mine**, but they inspire me, and you can find them on the follow links (remove spaces)._

**_Tala with wires._**_ As seen in the last scene of last chapter, this was the picture that gave birth to Learning to Fly. Also, if you watch if from afar, the wires seem to be wings. http/ img. photobucket. com / albums / v117 / FyneInverse / talawires. jpg_

**_Alexei._**_ Alexei was born almost alongside with the fic. He's a present character, despite the fact he only appears in flashbacks and memories. He's one of the greatest influences on Tala's psyche all through the fic, and despite being long dead, he lives in the memory of the redhead, who refuses to commit the same mistakes again. While he was almost completely designed, psychologically speaking, it wasn't until I stumbled upon this piece of art that he took physical appearance. He's a cute little bugger, albeit a bit on the tragic side. http/ img. photobucket .com / albums / v117 / FyneInverse / Alexei. jpg_

**_Bryan._**_ You know how people always settle Bryan into an stereotype? I didn't want to do that in this fic, but I hadn't found any inspiration to show Bryan being, well human… until I came across this simple, yet introspective fan art of Bryan in Lady Fiction's site. It's a menial task, something everybody does, and that's precisely what drew me to it. I feel that this pic was the start of Bryan as he presents himself in LtF, 'cause, you know, the guy is human after all. http/ img. photobucket. com / albums / v117 / FyneInverse / wakeupbryan. jpg_

_And well, for those of you who are as dizzy as me, here's my little baby, something to make understanding this fic a lot easier…_

_The so needed time line!_

**_October 30th, 1968._**_ Boris Valkov's born in Moscow. Since his father's dead already, he becomes official Lord since birth. (Zodiac sign, Scorpio)_

**_Late Spring, 1983._**_ Against better judgment, Boris Valkov is sent to military movements in Chechnya._

**_June, 1984_**_. Valkov becomes Lieutenant, but deserts active military service._

**_December, 1984._**_ Valkov meets Lord Voltair Hiwatari. He starts working for him. He gains control over Drizzar (Black Dranzer)._

**_July 18th, 1987._**_ Spencer's born in St. Petersburg. (Zodiac sign, Cancer)_

**_September 13th, 1987._**_ Maritza's born in Petrozavodsk. (Zodiac sign, Libra)_

**_January, 1988._**_ Valkov Abbey starts operation._

**_March 24th, 1988._**_ Lizeth Smildrilova's born in Arkhangels'sk. (Zodiac sign, Aries)_

**_April 30th,1988._**_ Kai Hiwatari's born on Volgograd. (Zodiac sign, Taurus)_

**_August 30th, 1988._**_ Bryan's born in Moscow. (Zodiac sign, Virgo)_

**_November 23rd, 1988._**_ Ian Kynestov's born on Volgograd. (Zodiac sign, Sagittarius)_

**_December 21st, 1988._**_ Tala's born in Murmansk.( Zodiac sign, Capricorn)_

**_January, 1990._**_ Lizeth's taken into a laboratory to work on her condition._

**_March 21st, 1991._**_ Alexei Voroshilov is born in St. Petersburg. (Zodiac sign, Aries)_

**_Winter of 1992._**_ Lizeth escapes the lab, starts living in the streets._

**_Spring of 1994._**_ Itza starts her training._

**_November, 1994._**_ Tala's taken into the Valkov manor. His parents die._

**_February, 1995._**_ Lizeth's taken into an orphanage._

**_Spring of 1996._**_ Tala starts training in the abbey._

**_Winter of 1996._**_ Alexei is put under Tala's care._

**_February, 1997._**_ Ian and Kai come to train to the Abbey, they are put under Tala's orders. Tala gains control over Anuk as a bit beast._

**_April, 1997._**_ The Guard begins to stalk Tala._

**_July, 1997._**_ Bryan is taken to the Abbey._

**_September, 1997._**_ Tala's incident with his powers destroy half the basements of the Abbey. The treatment is decided, Tala loses his control over ice._

**_October 1st, 1997. _**_Tala's raped by the Guard. He escapes the Abbey and ends up on the Blue Moon._

**_Spring of 1999._**_ Spencer joins the Abbey._

**_May, 1999._**_ Boris and Yazel sign the contract about Tala. The monthly visits to the Blue Moon start._

**_Autumn of 1999._**_ Alexei commits suicide. Sherak chooses Lizeth as his owner._

**_Summer of 2000._**_ Itza wins her first national competition. Lizeth escapes the orphanage._

**_Spring of 2002._**_ The Demolition Boys are formed._

**_Summer of 2002._**_ The Demolition Boys win their first World Tournament. Lizeth's caught and sent to another orphanage. There's an incident and Sherak takes control over her, burning down the building. She's sent to Siberia._

**_August, 2002._**_ Omikami comes to the Abbey and spends a month among the boys. _

**_Winter of 2002._**_ Black Dranzer is presented. Kai leaves the Abbey with amnesia, Boris is revealed to be an empath and a fire elemental._

**_Spring of 2003._**_ The new bit beasts are created from the boys' originals. Tala loses the remains of his empathic powers when Anuk becomes Wolborg._

**_Summer of 2003._**_ The Demolition Boys win their second World Tournament in a row._

**_Autumn of 2003._**_ Tala meets Ruth._

**_Spring of 2004._**_ Ruth leaves Moscow to go to St. Petersburg, she and Tala brake their relationship in good terms._

**_Summer of 2004._**_ The Demolition Boys lose the World Tournament to the Bladebrakers. They are sent to Siberia._

**_Autumn of 2004._**_ They meet Lizeth and start school at Logobo Volka. Later, they meet Itza._

**_Winter of 2004._**_ Boris attack._

**_Spring-Summer of 2005._**_ World Tournament in Paris. End of Learning to Fly._


	18. Chapter Eighteen

_(A/N) Sorry, ever so sorry for the delay! These days have been hectic around here and things aren't looking up… Also, I think I shouldn't really have started last chapter's notes like that ; got a good deal of confused people, didn't I? Heh, sorry for that, but really, three months worth of work really make me dizzy. Hope none of you ended up crossed eyed at the end XD_

_Now, this chapter was a pain and a half to write, mainly because emotional trauma is not my forte… er, it's not my forte whilst writing, I can assure you I know many ways to leave you emotionally scarred for life, but that ain't the point here. So, yeah._

_On another topic, I've got 95 reviews! Thank you so much guys . There'll be a giftfic for the lucky one who scores the 100th, so review!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, but I own plot and OC._

* * *

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Eighteen, Tying Up Loose Ends._**

His eyes glowed, the light surrounding him flaring up with anger. He growled, bearing his fangs in warning, through they weren't exactly sure at what. The wires attached to his spine crackled with blue volts of unreleased energy as the long suppressed power made its appearance. The light turned blinding, enveloping around him as it shot upwards in a pillar that seemed to touch the sky. The flagbastered teens, who weren't entirely sure of what was going on, watched as Black Dranzer screeched in pain, then turned away in fright as a wave of blue light sped towards them. Surprisingly, it was warm and welcome, embracing them in a protective feeling. They looked up to their beasts, finding them basking in the warm presence as well. And it happened, before their eyes, they were purified.

Ian, Bryan and Spencer recognized them immediately, not believing their eyes as Itza and Lizeth watched awed.

The light came from the inside, tearing away the taint that had sealed them away, restoring the Sacred Spirits to their former glory. With a screech of triumph, the great Wind Master, Cylah, spread its wings again, moonlight kissed silver feathers spilling as it batted its wings, green eyes glinting in silent content. As it shred away its old skin, the ancient cobra unwounded itself, olive green scales glistering with a poisonous glow of its own; Sherra let out a hiss of recognition. The great Whale was a dark indigo shade, its skin slashed in a strange pattern of lighter blue marks, the horn was still there, but now Myrage sported a small row of them, all over its spine, slowly becoming smaller and white in color. The restored beasts glowed on their own, seeking a connection with their masters, who glowed in return, lavender, green and murky blue in return. Lizeth and Itza felt Sherak and Dragger calling to them, and they too glowed in tune with them. Tala stood among the remains of the tank, the wires having snapped out of his body forcefully, his shirt raged and torn, the wires pulling out the implants in his skin as well. He didn't seem to mind as blood splattered behind him, the pulsing energy around him flowing in a steady glow of icy blue. His eyes were different, though, silver on blue, glowing with a light of their own.

Then they noticed the majestic white wolf standing behind him, eyes similar to its owner, growling softly as it stood proudly behind his retainer. Anuk was huge, and he was just as angry as his master.

Black Dranzer screeched again, a dark glow appearing around her, the hideous aura all but dripping poison in the air. It reached out to touch Tala's, as if to attack him, but instead of a clash of power the others were expecting, the auras touched and mingled, as if they were talking.

_You are angry Cub._

_You are hurting my pack, Phoenix._

_True. But it is my duty to do so._

_I wonder, do you know exactly how much of Boris will is involved in this and how much is your influence?_

_Are you implying something?_

_No. I'm merely voicing my thoughts. You know I have every right to kill you, for this and for Alexei._

_The Wind Child was meant to die. He was weak._

_So was I, and I'm still alive._

_You were never weak. The weak do not survive the winter, you should know that by now. Then again, you were always awfully naïve._

_Give me a reason why I shouldn't rid the world of your hideous existence._

_Because, my little, angry cub, you're incapable of harming my boy._

_…Damn you._

_See, you can be as vicious as you're strong, Child, but you know you cannot hurt the one who has been there for you. He loves you, even more than he loves me. You will not dare to betray him._

_Stop using him as an excuse. He doesn't depend on you anymore! It's you who would die if he falls._

_Wrong. It's been long, Child, how do you think he has managed to survive after so long? He's stubborn and powerful, like you, but he's just human after all._

_You bounded his soul to yours._

_Ah, the ever so clever one. Yes, I did._

_Damn you!_

_Petty words won't solve this, Master of the Wolf. What will be your choice? Will you kill your Mentor to get to me?_

_I…_

Tala's aura broke the contact, curling around him in a whirlwind of blue energy that sparkled wildly. The redhead's eyes returned to normal as he glared directly into Drizzar's.

"Novae Rove" The words weren't yelled or spoken above the redhead's usual voice level, however, the effect was immediate.

The ground shook as shards of ice arose from the ground and a powerful blizzard started, with the redhead right in the center. The others scrambled out of the way, calling back their beasts into their blades and trying to get away from the falling debris. Tala was causing the whole building to collapse around him, and despite Itza's protests, they escaped the remains without the redhead.

"Tala!" Itza's panicked scream as the whole building exploded went unheard as they fell to the ground, trying to avoid all the flying debris.

Inside the blizzard, though, Tala glared darkly at the dark phoenix, which, for once, seemed speechless.

"Go away. I don't want to see either of you again" The redhead's words startled the dark beast, red eyes boring into him amazed "_Go_"

Drizzar nodded, and if phoenixes could smile, the dark one was certainly doing so. With a screech that sounded rather painful, she turned into a ball of black flames that shot towards Boris' unconscious frame, before it shot upwards, disappearing into the distance, hidden from view by Tala's release of power.

_You did the right thing, Child._ The soothing voice in the back of his mind echoed softly, the raging embers of his anger long dulled.

"I know…" The redhead muttered softly, as the blizzard died out, all that remained of the warehouse being a few bricks and some wires "I know"

He walked in short, shaky steps, his legs threatening to give out. He could feel the warm blood trickling down his back and the open wounds protesting loudly at his ruthlessness, but he couldn't care less. He was worried, he had completely forgotten about his team when he had lost control. He would never forgive himself if he hurt them. As he came into their line of view, they scrambled to reach him. Itza in particular seemed rather concerned about his well being, which touched him in a strange way.

"I'm sorry" He croaked out softly, leaning heavily on Bryan, while Itza held his shoulders, trying to hide her grimace at the sight of blood "I'm really, really sorry"

She was hugging him as tight as she could without actually hurt him, while Lizeth leaned slightly on Ian and Spencer carried Omikami in his arms. All eyes were settled in the bloodied, pitiful redhead who seemed about to collapse.

"Red…"

"You know, you're lucky I have a sixth sense where it concerns you, Ivanov" They turned around to see Kai standing a few yards away, his hair blown away by the winter breeze.

Locking eyes with the redhead, the dual haired teen smirked as he started to walk towards them. The redhead strengthened, pulling away from his friends to reach him, his eyes were slightly glassed over for the blood loss, but damned if he ever let Kai see him weakened. He stumbled forwards though, but the red eyed teen caught him.

"Easy Wolf, easy" The dual haired teen tried to soothe the redhead, despite the fact he flinched at the sight of the wounds in his back.

"You came" There was a slight tone of awe in the redhead's voice as he clung to Kai like a lifeline.

"'Course I came. You owe me for the restaurant thing, remember?"

"Bastard" Kai let out a long breath as the redhead went slack against him. Looking up, he took in the tired, sleep deprived faces and smiled softly.

"Let's go back to the Center, you lot look like shit" No one bothered to rectify things as they boarded the copter waiting for them.

Tala was settled in the back seat, his head resting on Itza's lap, while the blonde, who simply refused to part with the redhead, ran her hands in a soothing motion over the redhead's hair. Lizeth fell asleep almost as soon as they took off, nestled comfortably in Bryan's lap as the lavender teen watched the landscape absently. Kai was cradling Omikami's unconscious form with utmost care, while Ian snuggled next to him, drowsy but not entirely asleep either. Spencer sat between Bryan and Ian, looking down at his feet, not entirely sure of the veracity of the latest events.

Kai, though he had quite a certain idea of what had happened, chose to remain silent. This was Tala's fight, and only he would decide when to speak, and when the score was settled.

* * *

They watched wearily as the white haired teen held her hands over the redhead's torn skin, glowing in a faint white light as the abused skin restored itself slowly. No one dared talk to her, in fear of disrupting her concentration, and eventually Kai convinced them to go to sleep somewhere else. It didn't take long before the cabin was enveloped in silence, the five teens exhausted and overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events.

"Shh… it's been enough" Kai softly placed his hands on Omikami's shoulders, pulling her away from the now sleeping redhead.

"But-"

"Don't worry, he'll heal the rest on his own, just don't strain yourself" Nodding submissively, she leaned back against him, unknowingly making his face color slightly.

"I missed you" The soft voice disrupted the silence in the room, as both looked over at the bloodied mess that was the redhead "I'm sorry"

"'S ok" Kai tentatively wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her more firmly against him "It wasn't your fault"

"Nevertheless, my weakness almost cost Tala his life" She turned in his embrace, burying her face in his chest, and making Kai wonder, not for the first time, how small she truly was.

"It wasn't weakness, you couldn't help it… and it'd take much more than that to get us rid of a certain redhead" Kai quirked his lips in a faint smirk of amusement "He's too damn stubborn to die like that"

"I'm worried though" Omikami let go of him, going to sit at one of the beds in the room "His power's been released again and we don't know how it'll affect him or the others this time"

"He's changed" Kai concluded after a long silence "He always does, he adapts. This will only be a new challenge for him to face"

"And what if he can't control it? It's been almost two years since he lost all pretense of power, what if the sudden flare of empathy is too much on him? What if he ends up like Alexei?" Blue eyes were worried, her voice quivering at the possibilities.

"He won't" The blunette's voice was firm as he spoke, eyes solemn "Tala is not Alexei as Alexei was not Tala. He'll live" There was a ghost of a smile in his face as he continued "What worries me is the others. Tala knows how to deal with himself, but I'm not sure the others know how to deal with this new twist of events. The girls mostly, I just hope they don't walk away on him. _That _would be rather painful for him"

"I don't think they will" Omikami smiled softly "Even without his talents… he's got something that draws you to him. They all care for him, sincerely" A rather knowing light took over her eyes as she looked over at Kai "Pretty much the way your team cares for you"

"Oh don't start on that"

"See?"

"I don't-"

"What must a guy do to get a little sleep around here? Drop dead?" Tala's sudden input of Russian to the conversation startled both, and they turned swiftly to find him prop on an elbow, watching the couple with a risen eyebrow and a wry smirk.

"You ok?" Kai switched back to Russian, walking over the redhead, who shrugged.

"I've been worse" Came the half amused reply "But I'd love you if you gave me some water, my throat is raw"

After a glass of water, the redhead settled back on bed, watching both teens with a rather calm expression.

"I'm not going to ask what's up, since I'm pretty sure I know, but, how are you?" Tala's voice sounded a little deeper as he tried a heavy accented English, so as to not leave Omikami out of the conversation.

"We? You're the one who got half killed there, how are _you?_" Kai's voice held an irritated tone as he death glared the redhead. Tala shrugged.

"Fine. Anuk just won't shut up, but yeah, fine" His comment got him two stares and he rose an eyebrow "Anuk, you know, big, white ball of fluff? My Sacred Spirit? He's going on and on about my carelessness and responsibility and whatnot. Annoying really"

"Anuk's talking to you?" Omikami blinked, startled.

"But he didn't before" Kai rose an eyebrow.

"Truthfully he did, but I was too busy dealing with other things to actually listen. He's always been there though" The redhead gave a minute shrug, trying not to strain his abused back "He just won't shut up right now" He grimaced slightly, rolling his eyes with flourish "But other than that I'm great. How are there others?"

"Er… well, they're asleep right now, exhausted the lot of them so… oh, and who I'm assuming is _'that screeching hag that won't stop soaking me every time she sees me'_ asked me to bash you upside the head when you woke up for scaring the living daylights out of her" Kai snickered as Tala shook his head.

"Yeah, that's Itza alright" He winced "I'm kinda brooding at the prospect of facing everyone tomorrow"

"It'll be alright… but you should really go to sleep" Kai smiled slightly "I love you Red, but you look like shit"

"Gee, when you put it like that" Snickering slightly, the redhead turned and settled to sleep "'Night Kai, Kams"

But by the time the other two answered, he was already asleep.

* * *

"Shit" The redhead glared at the fireplace, sucking at his burnt thumb as he kicked another log of wood into the fire, muttering under his breath about traitorous fires of hell.

"Tala?" The redhead turned to look at the soft voice, the other door shutting quietly.

There was an awkward silence as he and Itza crossed looks, tension flaring as they watched each other quietly. Itza walked to him, until she was standing next to him, looking up at his eyes as hers filled with tears. Tala smiled.

"Don't ever do that again" She croaked softly, attaching to him in an almost painful hug, not wanting to let go. The redhead returned the embrace, softly running his fingers through her hair in a soothing motion.

"I'm sorry" He whispered honestly, unconsciously letting his aura touch her. She flinched against the blue glow, and Tala tensed, expecting her to push away, but she didn't.

"It's strange, ok?" She momentarily felt that if she let go of him he would vanish, her hold on him tightening slightly "I thought you were going to die, and suddenly comes into scene a kid I know nearly nothing about and he starts barking orders and, and…"

"Shh" He kissed the top of her head, smiling slightly "You'll need a whole lot more to actually get rid of me"

"Don't joke with that!" Her chiding tone amused him, though he did understand what she was feeling.

"Calm down. I'm not going anywhere, Lord knows you'll die if you didn't have someone to pester all day long"

Itza spluttered, pushing away from him swiftly so that she could look at his eyes. The blue irises suddenly seemed deeper than before, a strange light now burning low in the back of them, making them even more breathtaking than before. Her own were shadowed, weary and with no little hurt swirling in them, the amethysts reflecting distress and confusion. He smiled lopsidedly, and leaned in to kiss her before she had a chance to rant, effectively silencing her protests, soothing her until she went almost slack against him. He tasted tears in the kiss and bittersweet longing in her aura, but refrained to comment. When they broke apart, he smirked wryly as he rested his forehead against her, trying to figure out the puzzle her emotions were.

"You're going to get me killed one day" She whispered remorsedly, her eyes glassed slightly "And the worst part is that I don't even mind it"

* * *

"He's asleep" Kai called over, startling them as they whirled around to face him. He shrugged "Who I'm assuming is Maritza is with him at the moment, and unless you can stomach Tala's fluff, which I certainly doubt you can, I don't recommend you entering that room"

Shuddering, Spencer's hand fell from the handle, instead turning to face the blunette with a frown. Kai didn't seem bothered by the slightly resentful look in the green eyes, and motioned them to sit around in the living room. Omikami was sitting next to him, eyes pleasant and smile soft as she could only guess what Kai had said. Grudgingly obeying, the four teens sprawled around the couch, though Kai noted with faint amusement that the dark haired female, who he could only assume to be 'the Wench', sat as closely to Bryan as it was possible without actually being on his lap. Smirking faintly, he filed away the information to try the lavender haired teen's patience at a later date.

"Right, from what I can see, you took a trip through Tala-vision, didn't you?" There was a note of sympathy in the blunette's voice, eyes less mocking than usual as he switched to English. Three out of four nodded, but the dark eyes fixed themselves on him, pinning him down with a dark glare.

"And who might you be?" Lizeth arched an eyebrow in a most mocking fashion, apparently not really caring if she annoyed the blunette, not humoring his subtle request for language.

The faint recollection of what they had seen in Tala's mind was a clue, but she didn't particularly like him or the way he carried himself. The day before, she had complied with his orders because she was exhausted and Bryan seemed to obey him too, and for her worn out mind that had been enough. But at the moment, when she was fresh from sleep and her senses sharp as ever, she wasn't about to be told what to do by a guy who suddenly popped out from nowhere and acted as if he owned the world. Narrowing down her eyes, and tensing slightly as he arched his eyebrows in what seemed amusement, she failed to notice Bryan's faint smirk at the situation.

"Oh yeah, we haven't met before, sorry about that" Kai shrugged, smirking in amusement at the spitfire girl, she was just as Tala described her "Hiwatari Kai, and she's Amaterasu Omikami… I would certainly appreciate if you could polish your English skills. Kams here doesn't speak a word of Russian, but she knows most of what's going on with Tala" His eyes glinted with amusement, lips twisting upwards in a smirk that was way too similar to Tala's for the dark haired female's comfort "And I can only guess you're Lizeth, correct?" He snickered as her eyes narrowed even more "Or should I say '_wench'_"

"Leave her alone Kai" Bryan's eyes flashed slightly, and the red eyed teen shrugged, conceding defeat. He wasn't about to start a fight with the taller Russian… yet.

"Whatever" Shrugging, he gave Lizeth one last smirk, before frowning slightly, pondering his words before speaking "First things first, what you saw yesterday, as much or as little as it was, no matter how harsh, cold, strange, erratic, it's true. Everything you saw happened, and I'm sure you remember some of it, but don't let yourself be blinded by it. Tala's a puzzle much more complex than a few memories, particularly since you affected what you saw"

"How can someone influence memories? You said what we saw was true" Spencer's frown was deep, green eyes narrowed slightly.

He most certainly did _not_ need to deal with Kai at the moment.

"Tala has a gift, as I'm sure you've realized" Omikami's voice was soft, inflicting calm to the situation even without intending so "Controlling the power he holds means keeping an iron fist over his emotions and his mind. The only times people are taken into his subconscious mind are those when he loses that control. Empathy is a demanding talent, the power needs someone to control it, and when the owner is not in a position to do so, it will try to bring someone who can. You were intruders in his mind, a temporal control to his talents while he recovered conscience of himself, and for those moments, you were able to see whatever you wanted. The subconscious representation of Tala's mind, his child self or his mother, are directly linked to Anuk, and since Tala was too overwhelmed by the situation, he could bring you into the situation and used his Empathy to show you what you wanted to see, consciously or unconsciously" The blue eyed girl smiled with a faint tint of amusement "In my case it was the exact opposite. When Black Dranzer, or Drizzar, invaded my mind and took control of my body, Nyx, my Sacred Spirit, who was connected with my Psychic powers allowed me to fight her back and recover control in spare moments. Though I am most thankful for Sherak's sudden appearance. Otherwise it would have taken longer to get her out"

"That's all great, Kams, but how do you know all this about Tala?" Ian raised an eyebrow, looking at his cousin and his fiancé curiously.

"Because I've been there" Kai answered simply, shrugging "After a certain… _incident_, Tala went through a lot of strain. I used to let him take it out on me, but one day he lost control and I ended up stuck in his mind. I certainly hope you didn't go that way, because I was actually _reliving_ what he did"

"The memory raped you in his mind" Kai winced at Bryan's acute, however blunt words, nodding.

"Not precisely the best experience in my life" He shuddered inwardly, the white haired girl at his side smiling sympathetically "But yes. It took a long time before I could accept to be in the same room than him, and even longer before I believed his explanation, which is the same one I'm trying to give you"

"And that is?" Lizeth was frowning, trying not to act on the slight flicker of sympathy she was feeling for the blunette.

"That Tala's one hell of a unique person" Kai smirked fondly, eyes bright with something akin to amusement.

"I could have told you that" Spencer rolled his eyes, though Kai shook his head stubbornly.

"No, he _is_ unique" Omikami's voice held an air wisdom that made them weary "There's a hierarchy among Sacred Spirits, from the smallest, who simply exist among nature and are almost impossible to find, to those you control, elemental spirits who choose to aid humans and their affairs, to the highest of them all, the spirit of Earth, Gaia.

"No one knows what it's like, what animal represents it or what element it controls. What is known is that Gaia gave humanity a gift, Empathy. From that moment on, humans had the ability to connect with their surroundings, adding a deeper sense of understanding to their rational thoughts. In a sense, everyone's an empath at some level, but those who tame the sacred spirits are more in tune with nature than the rest. And then there are the true Empaths. Humans who are so intone with nature they can almost feel it beating under them. They are so rare, we know only of less than fifty in the whole world at the moment. They are unique beings, specially born to protect important things, special sacred spirits or to soothe others. Tala, as you might have guessed, is one of the most powerful Empaths in the last hundred or so years. Being the Master of the Wolf is just the icing of the cake" Kai shrugged at her words, watching their reactions carefully.

"Anuk is the Winter Spirit" Omikami explained pleasantly, before they had a chance to ask "One of the four who keep the balance of climates and seasons in the world. For centuries, millenniums even, he had kept himself away from humans, simply existing in myth and superstition, completing his task from afar. The fact he has finally submitted to a human will speaks volumes of the faith Tala's family had in him"

"What does his family have to do with anything?" Spencer arched an eyebrow processing the information and comparing it with what they had seen.

"He told me Anuk was a family heirloom" Lizeth blinked, her recent talk with the redhead piecing together in her mind "He said that his bloodline had been guarding the wolf spirit for generations"

"Well, yes" Kai nodded "It started… er, well…" He frowned, trying to figure out the words. Casting the white haired female a risen eyebrow, he shrugged "Why don't you explain that to them? Storytelling's not my thing"

"Animals feel too" A voice startled them, and they whirled around to find Tala leaning against the doorframe of his room, Itza standing behind him. The redhead's eyes where fixed in the fireplace, as if he was reading from the flames, not paying attention to them "They have a simplistic view of the world around them, the situations that affect them, just in a less complicated way than humans. Only two emotions can't be found in anything else but a human being, two exceptions that belong to them alone, Love and Hatred. The extremes, the ones that fuel them and their motives. The ones Empaths rarely feel themselves.

"Her name was Isa, a mere peasant. An orphan who served in the richest house of our small province. But despite her harsh life and the difficult obstacles she had faced, she was sweet and gentle, a true empath. But in those times, a gift so great, in the hands of someone so poor, it was rather a curse. She was quickly labeled a witch, a saint witch, when raging bears and bloodthirsty wolves would calm under her influence. Lulled by her passive aura, her loving nature. Humans are strange, the powerful pretend to be generous with the weak, but the moment the weak start gaining strength, they crush them. Slowly, as her fame as a holy woman spread, so did the envy of the daughter of the Landlord she served. Not because she was prettier, as certainly Isa held beauty within her, but it was a beauty of the soul, not one all humans could see. She was delicate, small and fragile, like a flower left among the wild. Eventually, she was casted away, held guilty of the latest blizzard that had struck the land, and the deaths caused by it.

"It is said Anuk heard the cries of the forest, mourning the certain death that would befall its favored Child, and the great one was curious. Never before had the voices of the forest begged him to stop the unleashing of the elements, the fury of Winter that placed them to rest, the ice and the cold that eventually lead to their rebirth in Spring. Wondering, for the first time in centuries, the White Wolf abandoned his temple, his land in the confines of the eternal frost, and sought the cause of the sudden agitation. His surprise was no little when he realized it was a human the forest cried for. A young, small human who was more dead than alive when he found her. He was unsure of her worth, despite the claims of those around her, so he tested her.

"He transfigurated into a small animal, hurted and weakened, and presented himself to her, almost daring her to hurt him, but she didn't. Life comes foremost to us, it is the first thing you learn, when you realize everything around you has a heartbeat, you understand that should always come first to you. Keeping that in mind, it's easy to see why she rather sheltered the animal than to ever think of hunting or harming it. It intrigued the Wolf, because he knew humans are selfish by nature, and the sudden generosity struck him as odd. So he gave her another trail, he attacked her. He knew her to be powerful, and had expected her to reciprocate the aggression, but she did not. And by submissively offering her life to him, he in return offered his power to her. It was the start of the alliance my family keeps with the Winter Spirit, because it is Anuk's purpose to understand humanity, and ours to help him find that understandment" He shrugged, dragging his eyes over them, the irises holding over a strange light as he twisted his lips wryly "Yes, I'm indeed one fucked up bastard, but one has to deal with what one has, ne?" The ghostly humor as he grinned wolfishly wasn't exactly welcome, particularly when the other teens were almost having a heart attack.

Spencer's eyes were narrowed and you could see the gears running behind them as he went over a logical explanation. Lizeth looked from Tala to Kai back and forth, frowning slightly, while Ian seemed more than a little shaken. Kai rolled his eyes with flourish at the redhead's wording, while Omikami shook her head in despair. Out of them it was Bryan who made a sound, a low warning growl from deep within his throat. Itza rolled her eyes, burying her face against his back, hiding her silent snickering from others.

"Anyway, now that _I_'m settled, you lot have amends to do, and I certainly hope you're awake enough to be coherent, because it'll take long" He was grinning wickedly, and it didn't bode well for them.

The sapphire that hung from his neck glowed and three pairs of hands flew to cradle their respective heads, a screeching rant flaring up inside their minds. Lizeth raised a questioning eyebrow as Bryan, Ian and Spencer groaned, while Itza snickered softly. At the speculative looks he was getting, the redhead shrugged.

"I figured they didn't need to deal with those three worry-some pricks right after that whole mess, so I hinted on them to shut it for a while" He grinned sheepishly "I do believe waiting has made them cranky… and snappish"

"You" Kai started slowly, red eyes sober "Are one sick and sadistic bastard" Tala had the nerve to grin rather goofily.

"Yeah, what do you bet I will get skinned alive for this?" Shaking his head slightly, he rolled his eyes "It's quite amusing that the very people who have been worrying about my health will no doubt try to kill me for this. Oh well, sucks to be and all that crap"

Two out of the four conscious people in the room relished in the feeling of the familiar careless behavior the redhead was displaying, realizing that their fears for his safety and his mind were ungrounded. Empathy came naturally to the redhead, and now that he had the security of his power to fall back on, he didn't really feel threatened anymore. It made his eyes brighter, if anything else. Itza stood behind him, a very amused look gracing her features, fueled by the certain knowledge of what was going on and her blatant approval of the situation. Lizeth was about to protest, when her eyes turned glassy and she fell back into bickering with Sherak. Snickering under her breath, Itza poked Tala's ribs, giving him a reproaching look.

"Weren't you supposed to be doing something?"

"Oh, yeah… say" Turning to Kai and Omikami, he rose an eyebrow questioningly "Hasn't a tall, burly, absolutely annoying blond man popped around here? He's late already"

"No?" Kai tilted his head to the side, his eyebrows arched in a 'what-did-you-do-now' look.

"Great, now I'll-" The redhead stopped mid sentence, eyes glassing slightly, the sapphire glowing slightly, the trance broke quickly and he sighed "Three… two… one…"

The door banged open and said tall, burly and absolutely annoying blond man stormed inside, blue eyes alight with murder.

"_You!_"

The redhead wondered if the Gods truly hated him, while in a corner of his mind Anuk sniggered.

* * *

_Done! No comments this time, except that you need to REVIEW!_


	19. Chapter Nineteen

_(A/N) And we have a winner! **MagCat** was the lucky fellow to score the hundredth review, so she gets a free giftfic for it XD I'll mail you about it…_

_Anyway, for those of you who were lost in the mayhem that was the last few chapters, the whole Itza-Tala confrontation was on Friday, they were taken to the warehouse on Saturday, and now it's the dawn of the beautiful Sunday. God, don't I love to make their lives miserable?_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, but I own the plot and the original characters._

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**_Learning To Fly._**

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**_Chapter Nineteen, Family, Love, Responsibilities And Other Nuisances._**

"I know you're having one hell of a time trying to impersonate a Neanderthal Karl, but would you be so kind as to put me down?" Tala's deadpan apparently got through the blonde's anger, and he let go of his collar almost submissively, he was still glaring though.

Tala rolled his eyes and dusted away invisible lint from his cloths as he sighed. Shaking his head he crossed his arms and looked over at the decidedly taller male with a risen eyebrow. He was seething alright, dark eyes flashing angrily, while his primly slicked-back hair glinted slightly in the faint light of the fireplace, not a single hair out of place. A very sardonic part of Tala figured that with that hairstyle, he didn't need a helmet to go with the uniform. And what uniform, completely spotless, the epitome of military perfection. The redhead rolled his eyes again.

"Well?" The blond, Karl, asked impatiently, one foot banging on the wooden floor of the cabin as he looked at the redhead impatiently.

"Do you want me to wind up a long, complicated metaphysical explanation of what happened, or do you want something to put in your report?" Tala tilted his head to the side for effect, amusing himself with the tidal waves of distress that were rolling off the blond, grinning innocently.

"What do you think?" Blue eyes narrowed in exasperation, as the blond wondered why was he always assigned to take reports from the rather annoying redhead.

"That you're a disrespectful little shit who doesn't make justice to the uniform and that your father is quickly running out of excuses to keep you in the active, but yeah, mostly that you want something to impress said daddy dearest" The scratching, stinging retort didn't skip a beat, and the redhead's apparently pleasant attitude didn't falter in the slightless.

On the couch, Kai sniggered silently, while Omikami's eyes widened in mortification, she needn't understand the language to know _that_ had been insulting. Tala's expression told her enough. Itza bit the inside of her mouth to keep from cackling out loud, eyes brimming with unshed tears of laughter. The other four occupants of the room were still deeply gone into their minds, still sorting out their issues with their bit beasts, and paid the drama unfolding before them no heed.

Tala graciously sidestepped the lunging blond, grinning like a maniac as said idiot fell face first against the wall, sliding to his knees in a pitiful display.

"On your knees, somehow that pose strikes me as a trademark of yours, though I'm not entirely sure why?" A badly stifled croak of laughter erupted the blond blader, her eyes glinting wildly while the soldier wannabe tried to attack Tala again, and actually succeed in grabbing him, but the redhead didn't seem concerned.

"Guttlerv! What in the fucking hell do you think you're doing?"

Ah, how Tala loved that voice, the refreshing sound of screaming agony encompassed in a single sound that cut through lesser men like acid. And Karl Guttlerv was quite the lesser of the lesser men. To his credit, he paled and let go of him, his face white as a sheet of paper as Tala sneered at him one last time, before turning to the door with a less aggressive and rather bland expression.

"This is turning into a bloody war council"

_

* * *

_

"You're tired" Kai pointed out as he looked at her with somewhat a bored look "Go and sleep some more, I'll take care of things here" Omikami shook her head stubbornly.

"I'll be fine. Besides, we're almost done" Looking at the only cabin that had been truly burnt to ashes, she shrugged "They're lucky Spencer managed to put the fire out of all but one"

There was a rustle of snow as the white haired teen walked to his side, looking down at the valley where the Center was located with somewhat a wistful expression. Lizeth had been silently pissed at having to provide cloths for Omikami and Itza, but she hid it well under Tala's request. Thus, the white haired teen was now wearing a pair of black cargos that were too long and too wide for her, as well as a long sleeved dark blue shirt, the hem of which reached her mid tights. Her long hair was mussed and held back in a precarious pony tail, and she really, really wanted to take a long hot bath and change into less dark colored cloths. Kai seemed to pick upon her melancholic thoughts, because he silently wrapped a hand around hers, linking their fingers non-chantally.

"We'll go back soon" Garnet orbs found hers lost in the distance, calculating something only she seemed to understand, and not for the first time he wondered what went on within the confines of her mind "Home, I mean" She smiled sadly.

"I missed the sound of that word" She told him honestly, shivering under the chill of the land as the sun began to descend, washing everything in the deep orange rays that turned everything into gold.

"I know" _I'm sorry_. He flexed the hand that was still holding hers, before he turned back towards Krystal's office "Krystal must be awaiting our report" Omikami nodded, obediently following his lead towards the second largest building.

They walked together, the silence speaking for the words they couldn't, or wouldn't say. They had missed each other, yes, but neither was well prepared to deal with the emotions their sudden re-encounter had stirred. Both knew they would spend the rest of their lives together, both knew they would one day sire children to continue the fearsome bloodlines they came from, both knew each other almost as well as they knew themselves. They loved each other, how or why not precisely important to either of them as much as the fact that they did, the fact they knew the other _cared_.

As Kai climbed the wooden steps, Omikami fell back, and turned, her eyes taking in the beauty of the frozen land as the sun's rays. Everything pulsed with the inner power of Winter, Tala's newly freed essence coating everything as far as her well trained eyes could see. Looking back at Kai, who was waiting at the end of the small staircase for her, she met his eyes and smiled, hurrying over to reach him, not reacting to his silent request of information in the form of a risen eyebrow.

"I wonder how Tala is dealing with his _friends_" Her voice held an amused note that made the dual haired teen shrug almost hopelessly.

"Probably like he deals with everyone" Opening the door for her, he granted her a smirk, eyes betraying his own amusement "Being himself"

_

* * *

_

"So big purple flag post is dead? You sure Red?" The man was rather short, barely two inches taller than Tala, but very obviously older and more experienced as he asked questions of their latest escapade.

"Oh I don't know Cap, perhaps the fact the whole structures in splinters right now… or that I was there… maybe even the fact he was unconscious when the whole building fell on him?" Tala rolled his eyes, his dry tone making the elder soldier repress a flinch.

"Fine, I'll chalk this up to your unnerving source of luck and write down a report about how miraculously you survived" The grey eyed man was amused, his lips twitching so much his shortly trimmed beard trembled slightly with barely restrained amusement "Alone of course"

"Of course" Tala rolled his eyes, tilting his head to the side as he rested his chin on one of his hands, the other holding a fork and poking at his food "Said Cap, how exactly did I got back here, if I was alone there? I'm curious, that's all…"

"I don't know why and I most certainly don't want to know how, but you've inherited the flag post's innate ability to complicate things and point out mistakes" The dead pan made the young Empath snicker into a glass of water, while Karl, who sat in their table sulking, snorted softly "But I'm sure I can think of something"

"Due all respect sir, you should have wound up as a writer not a soldier"

"Ivanov, you're the second youngest Lieutenant this country has produced in the last twenty years. I admire the way you simply get off the hook unscarred each and every bleeding time you should rightfully be dead and I actually like you 'cause you make this mean roast beef" The older man face was serious, and Tala fought hard to keep the snigger away "But if you so much as hint against my career choice again I'm afraid I'll have to maim you. Severely"

"Well, blood's a bitch to take off wooden floors, so I guess I'll keep that in mind"

The older military gave the redhead a hard, long look, before sighing and continue to eat. Kai, Omikami and Itza had stayed in the center and gone back to sleep, while Tala dealt with both military. Ma had wisely chosen not to comment on the redhead's choice of company as they entered the restaurant, going for a table at the back.

"So how are you faring? With living here I mean" The old man looked carefully as the redhead frowned, silently taking notes on his behavior and how he was taking the news of Boris death.

Capitan Zworykin hadn't been exactly a friend of Valkov, but he respected the man and what he had managed to achieve in the war when both had been younger. He was fairly certain he was alive thanks to a certain manipulation of events on the purple haired man's side, but Boris had never cleared up that to him. _And apparently he'll never had the chance either._ Finally the redhead spoke, shrugging as if taking off importance to the situation. _Just like the old man…_

"It's… bearable" Sighing, the redhead rolled his eyes "Each day I wake up and firmly tell myself it could be thousand times worse, and generally I believe it, but…"

"You miss home" The redhead grinned wryly as the old man watched him from over the rim of his glass.

"I'm certain that admission qualifies me for a metal institution in the eyes of more than half of the world, but yeah, kind of" He gave Zworykin a shoulder shrug "Not so much the place, but the kind of life I lead there. I mean, yeah, dealing with the Boss' temper tantrums first thing in the morning sucked, but it had it's bright spots too"

"What in this life doesn't?" The man countered with a smirk, setting down the cutlery to signal he was done with his meal "You do know what's coming your way, don't you?" His voice turned serious and a deeper frown made itself present in his brow. Tala sighed deeply.

"Oh yeah. The interrogation, the formal declarations, swearing off… it's going to be a fun week" The deadpan clearly showed he didn't mean the words, but the older man noted quickly there was one detail the boy hadn't mentioned. And it was precisely the most important.

"You're forgetting something" Tala cringed, confirming the suspicions the Capitan had. He hadn't forgotten, he simply wanted to ignore it "His will reading"

"But-"

"And you _know_ you have to be there" They glared, the redhead putting all his efforts in his most terrifying death glare, while the Capitan handed a flat, unamused stare.

Tala looked away first.

"Ivanov, don't you _dare_ to throw a bloody tantrum on me. You're _going_, and that's _final_"

Suddenly Tala felt a lot younger as he sulked under the heavy weight of the look he was receiving. He _knew_ he was going to go, even if Zworykin had to tie up and gag him, so he did the only thing left to him.

He whined.

"But I don't _want_ to"

_

* * *

_

"Are they still at it?" Lizeth asked with a risen eyebrow, looking over at Itza almost curiously.

"Yep. Seems they had a lot to talk about, huh?" The blond girl smirked; looking at the still spaced out teens in the living room with unmasked amusement.

"Yeah…"

There was a suddenly heavy silence in the room, uncomfortable and tight. Both females looked at each other with a ting of guarded curiosity. They didn't _hate_ each other, but neither liked the other all that much either. They weren't exactly hostile with each other, simply diametrically opposed in their views on the world and their opinion on life in general. Itza liked to have things rotating around her, Lizeth preferred to keep everyone at bay. Itza considered Lizeth to be an anti-social, cold hearted bitch, whose words were so intrinsically sarcastic they were a pain to understand. Lizeth thought her to be a whinny princess-styled, overrated brat without an ounce of self control, much less a worthy opponent, never minding the fact Spencer would probably defend her fiercely. Itza saw an emotionless, aggressive force without a tactic mind, much less a worthy rival. But they were stucked together dealing with the foreigns, and sought comfort with each other, considering the situation outside too hostile to bother with their personal intrigues.

Kai and Omikami, despite their open willingness to help them sort out the mess they were currently stucked in, held the upper hand in the situation, with their vast knowledge of the roots of the problem, as well as their unexplainable relationship with the redhead, and admittedly, their leader. Both had been within the redhead's mind, and even as biased and uncertain the events they had witnessed had been, they still felt some sort of protectiveness over the redhead, something that made them question which was the right the blunette and his companion had to come and take decisions about their lives.

Never minding the fact Tala _had_ left Kai in charge of things, and the Phoenix holder was helping out with the evaluation of the damage imposed on the Center, while the white haired girl went off to help take care of the children, they didn't like it, or him, or them. Tala was away with the soldiers that had appeared practically out of no where, and the others were still deep within their minds, trying to sort out their obvious difference with the beasts they both controlled and served.

Which left them exactly at the root of their problem, they were alone, they were bored and there wasn't a thing they could do about it. A string of inspiration hit them, they sighed resignedly in unison, catching themselves, they scowled and looked away.

It was going to be a long day.

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* * *

_

"Who the hell he thinks he is? _I'll be back for you_… what a load of utter _bullshit_, ha! And to think the boss actually _liked_ that man… hell, I thought _I_ liked him… goddamned bastard…"

The redhead's mumbling got lost as he fiercely washed the stalk of dishes and pots, the soap filled rag scrubbing furiously as if it was the damn old man. His fury was justified, or so he told himself firmly, ignoring the Capitan's claims otherwise. He didn't want to be in the will reading, it had been bad enough to lie to the man as he had done, but to actually stand there and admit he… _Get a fucking grip of yourself Ivanov._ With that stony order on himself, he hastily cleaned the offending tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes.

He hadn't cried since Alexei had died, and he most certainly wouldn't start now, much less for _Boris_ on top of everything else.

Suddenly he stopped, his bow furrowing deeply. Abandoning all his messed up thoughts, he looked out of the window in time to see Julia driving home that write-off she called a truck. Ma and Sarah were upstairs watching that distasteful Soap Opera as if nothing was wrong, which gave Tala the time he needed to come into focus. Julia was a maelstrom of emotion, as usual, but that day in particular three things high lightened her state to Tala's now very much aware senses. Nervousness, Dread and Shame. Three things he couldn't really associate with the dark haired woman who he had come to call friend, particularly considering she had just come home.

"Ma, you wouldn't _believe-_ oh, um, hi Tala" She smiled at him, still holding on that fan girlish quality, but quite subdued of the late.

The redhead, however, ignored her greeting as his eyes focused on her intently, narrowing in surprise. Finally raising them to meet hers, he raised an eyebrow, noticing how she became nervous around her, and her dread escalated. Something was wrong, and he had a pretty good idea of what.

"Does she know?" He asked finally, his face somewhat blank as he ignored her greeting.

Julia had the sinking feeling he _knew_.

"Beg your pardon?" The dark haired woman gave a step back though, her arms crossing protectively under her breasts, silver eyes narrowed slightly "Does who know what?"

"Ma" Tala answered with a slightly frown, eyes flashing with something coming close to pity "Does Ma know? She's bound to notice it soon"

"Do you…?" The panic in her voice made Tala's insides clench, the force of her emotions moving him as she looked at him startled, confused.

"Yes" He shrugged no point in denying things now. Looking at her with what he hoped was a reassuring look, he smiled wryly "Not that it shows or anything" It was true, had his talents not been released, he wouldn't have noticed, he gave her an apologic shrug "I feel things, that's all"

"But… Ma…" Julia sat heavily on a chair, burying her face in her hands, her whole stand radiating a miserable feeling that made the redhead almost feel bad about speaking up. Almost "Please don't tell her"

"Of course I won't, it's not my place to do so" The redhead pulled a chair opposite to hers and sat down silently, reevaluating all he thought he knew about her "I'm just saying she'll realize something's going on soon. She's not stupid"

"No… the only stupid one here's me" Julia sighed, folding her arms in the table and letting her chin rest on them, looking at her hero and apparently friend in despair "I wouldn't be in this mess if I weren't such a stupid wench"

"Heh, don't say that, Lizeth might hear and take offence" The redhead scold her half heartedly, his eyes gentle "I promise I won't tell Ma about it, not unless you want me to"

"No!" She recreated her panicked squeak as she saw him wince slightly, and belatedly remembered his keen senses "Sorry, but no. I'll tell Ma myself Tala; this is something she needs to listen directly from myself"

"And what exactly is that?"

Color fled Julia's face as she stood up abruptly, turning to face her mother and Sarah in the doorway, the first looking shadowed, the later worried. Her stomach sunk painfully, her throat closing as she breathed shakily two or three times. In the end, she found herself unable to talk as she turned to the redhead with a whimper, silently begging for his help. Tala shrugged, smiling lop sidedly at Julia in a _'we're fucked up anyway'_ kind of look. Finally he spoke, and closed his eyes as soon as he finished the sentence, knowing he was about to open the proverbial Pandora box. _This day just keeps getting better and better…_

"That's she's pregnant"

_

* * *

_

_Dun dun dun! Weren't expecting **that** were you? I should hope not, it's yet another twist to this plot, as if it wasn't complicated enough._

_I'm sorry for the lack of updates, started classes and work again, and all this work is piling on me horribly. In fact, I have a psychology paper due next Monday that I have to finish, and which I haven't even read properly… Yes, I want to panic. Anyway, I promise some information on the boys and their bit beast in next chapter… honest!_

_So be nice and make my life more bearable with your lovely reviews! They do cheer me up and really make up my day! Review; push the purple button of glee!_


	20. Chapter Twenty

_(A/N) You may ramble against me and my lateness. I won't bother to listen. You can, however, spam this woman (harlettqueen.acid.me at hotmail), since she's my Critic teacher and she's annoying and left me a sixteen-page long essay which had my brain melting for two weeks. I can assure you she won't mind._

_…much._

_On actual, relevant news, I updated, this chapter is somewhat tedious, as nothing 'apparently' important happens, but it'll take perspective later on… and Tala angsts._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, but I own the plot and the original characters._

_

* * *

_

**_Learning To Fly._**

**_Chapter Twenty, Home._**

There were people, Tala reflected, that were naturally gifted to throw tantrums. They yelled, they screamed, they ranted and efficiently ignored all points against their arguments as they screeched bloody murder at everyone. And there were other people, the real scary ones, who sat back, listened quietly and pinned people down with an unnerving frozen look.

Tala really wished Ma was one of the first type.

"I see" The older woman said calmly, and everyone but her resisted the urge to flinch and/or cringe in despair "And when, pray tell, were you going to tell _us_?" Tala knew all that iciness in the elder's voice wasn't healthy.

Hell, _he_ was starting to sweat under the eerie calmness and the damn queerness of the situation. Sarah was looking at him with a faintly veiled question in her eyes, and he did his best to answer without calling the wrath of the very volatile matron in the room. A quick glance to Julia and both shared a pitiful, knowing glance.

Julia whimpered.

It was going to be a _long_ afternoon.

_

* * *

_

"You're mighty pissed off" The dark haired teen commented with faint amusement as she settled a chocolate muffin and a cup of coffee in the nightstand.

"And you have a mighty grip of the understandment" Bryan retorted with a deadpan, looking at her with a flat, unamused stare. His eyes went glassy for an instant, then he blinked into awareness and scowled at her smirk.

"You know, I somehow suspect I'm going to really like Cylah" Lizeth grinned slightly, reaching out for the untouched muffin, then, at his growl, rather taking her brush from behind the plate.

Of all the things she had come to know about the pale haired teen, the most amusing fact was his carving of chocolate, and his fierceness when keeping it all to himself.

"Pah, females" Bryan grumbled under his breath, reaching for the sugary treat and leaning back against what officially was his bed, though he rarely slept there anymore.

Lizeth wisely resisted the urge to point out he was sulking.

"So" She tried conversation once more, trying not to piss him off. Again "How was the chat with Mighty-Silver?" Her first answer was an icy glare and a snort. Swallowing, Bryan sighed.

"All things considered?" He raised an eyebrow at her, then shrugged "Could have been worse" Then he grinned, that damned mischievous sparkle in his eyes and she felt her own narrow slightly "After all, could have ended up with a sugar high Fire Spirit, right?" The pale eyes lighted up with a rather smug expression as the dark haired blader spluttered.

Content that she would now keep silent, the lavender haired teen finished his light meal, settling back on the bed, his back against the wooden headboard. _You know,_ he groaned inwardly, but his features remained stoic as the rather sardonic and very obviously female voice invaded his consciousness, _you're being really mean to her… brought you lunch and all… brought you chocolate and you still bite her head off…_ Bryan sighed irritably, ignoring Lizeth's mildly amused look in his direction. _Don't you even start with that_. A huff. _Oh, sure, Mr. Bad-Ass, I will go be silent, it's not like I'm older or something, what could I possibly know about this things…_ Sarcasm, directed at himself, _always_ pissed off Bryan. Sarcasm directed at himself by no other than the damn silver falcon made his left eyebrow twitch in annoyance.

Lizeth snickered.

_

* * *

_

"You're being irrational" Itza said out of the blue, legs hanging from the wood beam she was sitting on, giving her best friend a long, hard, reflective look.

Spencer snorted.

"So says the girl who dyed Raskornev's hair blue out of spite for a miserable B" A green eye opened to give her a pointed look, lips twisting slightly into a smirk.

"That was an entirely different context" The green eye closed again and Itza huffed "I mean it, too, you're making a bloody storm out of a cup of water"

"You were practically _shagging_ in the living room" Itza rolled her eyes.

"Oh good gracious, and now you're _whining_" Snorting, she slid from her perch in the window and went to sit at the side of his bed "And for the record, we weren't" She added the after thought somewhat carelessly, smirking over his pronounced scowl.

"Whatever"

"…You have a way with words that just makes me wanna squeeze your neck until your eyes pop"

_

* * *

_

"Kai?"

"Yeah?"

"Why's there a cat in your pants?"

"…don't ask Ian, you don't wanna know"

"Ok"

_

* * *

_

"You know, it could have been really, really worse" Tala said with a long sigh, shrugging.

"Red?" Julia's deadpan made him bite back the need to wince.

"Yeah?"

"Shut the fuck up" Sarah, sweet lovely Sarah… was in a dark mood and in the least afraid of showing it.

_

* * *

_

"You are aware that Bryan will probably call you a hypocrite is he saw you, right?" Kai smirked lopsidedly as the redhead let out a long puff of smoke, wincing at the foul smell. He sighed.

"Do you honestly think I care much about that right now?"

Kai felt a pang of sympathy for the redhead, as if he was seeing him for the first time. Tala was, perhaps in a greater sense, still a Child. All he had learnt, seen, done, said… all lost importance against the fact he was far too young to go through the hell they both knew was coming. Boris dismiss had hit the redhead at more levels than anyone would really care to figure out, and despite the situation, Tala had handled it smoothly, hiding well everything that he was feeling, concentrating on keeping the newly released Empathy under control and his team out of his business. Kai smiled slightly.

"You're actually going to miss the bastard, aren't you?" It wasn't really a question, and they both knew it, but Tala smiled humorlessly, eyes somewhat distant.

"Afraid so" He shrugged, taking another drag of the cigarette, wincing somewhat at the acid feel on his throat and the stench that would hung to his cloths for _days_.

"Hn" Kai made a non-committable sound, looking at the landscape plainly "You know the whole place reeks of you now, right?"

The Wolf looked over at the horizon, and sure enough, he could _feel_ himself all around him, the cold winter dust that hid among the trees and the wildness. Anuk was having a feast in redecorating their temporary home. Tala made a not so flattering mental comment about Winter's subtly sense and snorted.

"You reek of Tyson, so there" It was childish way of turning the tables, but by the way the red eyes narrowed almost into slits, he had succeeded.

Kai really hated to be reminded that the stronger the bit beast, the stronger the scent, the signature. It pissed him off to be reminded that Dragoon had a tendency to overwrite Dranzer's spicy scent with his own gusty one. He contented himself with a low grunt.

"It's not like I'll be here in a while, anyway, might as well leave a reminder"

They sat in silence after that.

"I'm cold" The slate haired teen muttered sometime later, shivering minutely as he felt his feet start to get numb.

Tala, who was sitting comfortably at the roof of the cabin, dressed lightly and considerably less protected than the blunette shrugged, not really minding the cold at all. Azure eyes fixed on him, lips twisting slightly into a smirk.

"Think seeing my team yell bloody murder at me will lift your spirits?" Standing up, he brushed a bit of snow off his pants, then held a surprisingly warm hand to Kai.

"Mm, tempting…" The blunette took the offered hand, and smirked as they jumped down and started down towards the office.

It was going to be a very interesting evening.

"I'll meet you and the others there after I'm done with Itza" He dug his hands in his pockets, resisting the urge to sigh in despair.

"Now, that's something I would pay to see" Kai snickered, lips twisting into a rather mean sneer.

"No if you're stucked within a six-inch thick ice cube"

Before Kai would think of a retort for that, the redhead was gone, and he was left huffing in annoyance.

_

* * *

_

"You missed her, didn't you?" Omikami placed the mug on the nightstand with care, blue eyes looking at Ian somewhat curiously "Sherra, I mean"

They were sitting in his bed, he, with his back against the wall and his legs folded Indian-style, while she sat primly at the foot of the bed, legs folded to the side in a very feminine way. He cradled his own drink with both hands, swirling it slight as he saw the last visible remains of vodka disappear within the hot chocolate. He shrugged at her question.

"Sometimes" His lips twisted slightly "I mean, I liked talking to her before, was nice to have someone listening, but I know things would have been different, for the worse, if she had stayed then" Omikami nodded, understanding what he meant.

"You never told Tala about her, did you?" The white haired female tilted her head to the side slightly, honestly curious.

"No, she was… she was my own, in a sense. I didn't want to share her with anyone else" He shrugged again, somewhat helpless to make more sense "Call it childish thought if you want"

"I can relate though…" She smiled faintly, motioning to the pendant with the beybit attached that hung from her neck "Sometimes we just want to have something to call our own, in a small selfish way"

Ian laughed.

"The Goddess of Light admitting to be selfish? My, we'll be ice-skating in Hell next!" The comment was crude, annoying, unasked for… it was Ian being Ian.

Rolling her eyes and shaking her head slightly, the white haired teen stuck her tongue at him.

"I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer!"

_

* * *

_

"Fryedka called"

That wasn't exactly the best way to start a conversation with one's girlfriend, Tala decided, as Itza's eyes froze into a icy fury, her fists clenching in what he was sure, had to be a painful way.

"Tell that to someone who cares" Now _that_ wasn't the answer he had been expecting, and he suspected it showed.

"He was worried about you…?" Blinking, Tala found himself in a situation he wasn't entirely sure he could control. Annoyance was flowing off Itza in waves, something completely unexpected.

"So I repeat. Tell that to someone who cares" Folding her arms over her chest, the violet haired girl gave the redhead a flat look. Tala's brow furrowed.

"He's your father, and he's worried" At the uncaring snort, he pressed his lips together in a displeased line "He even said he'd keep this from leaking to your mother"

"So what? He'd be in deep if Mother knew" Shrugging disinterestedly, Itza leveled Tala with a piercing stare "Whatever Fryedka says, it's not my concern, ok? I don't want to hear it, and I don't want you talking about it"

"I don't really think-"

"I didn't ask you to think!" Her voice raised somewhat, amethyst eyes flashing viciously "Whatever my relationship with Fryedka is, I can assure you is none of your concern"

"You are my concern" The challenging tone in his voice didn't go unnoticed, but Itza merely snorted.

"But he isn't" Tala was getting somewhat irritated by the whole situation, but had the sinking feeling, mostly backed by Itza's imperious stand, that he would get nowhere with that train of thought.

"Fine" But things weren't fine, and they wouldn't _be_ fine, anytime soon.

He bloody well knew it, and he was all but a second away from screaming in frustration.

_

* * *

_

"You know, when he gets that look, shit hits the fan" At Spencer's comment, Bryan snorted, lips thinning slightly.

"Question should be where should we run to" Ian's comment, though innately biting, was rather wry.

They were standing in front of the cabin, watching with varying degrees of apprehension as Tala and Itza stalked non-chantally back to the cabin. Lizeth, who was standing between Ian and Bryan noted the slightly slumped shoulders and somewhat dejected pace. Spencer folded his arms tightly, still not pleased with the situation, but keeping his temper in check, and Kai and Omikami were just watching for the upcoming disaster.

"I-"

The redhead suddenly felt small standing before them, their emotions washing over him like tidal waves, consuming, and to think… He took a deep breath, and smiled wryly, that sheepish expression that came over every time he did something he didn't really want to. The same smile he used every time he hurted someone he cared about. He could have sworn he saw the faintest of smiles flashing in Kai's lips. _To hell with it…_

"I'm leaving." He winced. _Oh God, oh God…_ "I… might not come back…"

Dimly, he wondered if it was possible to die of sheer will.

_

* * *

_

"I worry for him"

"Hm?" Kai looked up from the papers he was reading, a half empty glass of coke resting on the table of his seat.

Omikami shook her head somewhat, white locks of hair falling out of the tight grip of her ponytail, blue eyes somewhat wry. She looked older than she should have, her eyes having lost some of their sparkle, but still holding onto her light like a life time. Kai shrugged.

"He knew it was coming" The slate haired teen shrugged "It'll be fine"

"I hope so" She sighed, looking down from the small round window to the land, hundred of feet below them "I just hope so"

_

* * *

_

"Lt. Ivanov"

Tala met the man's eyes firmly, with a sense of serenity and commitment that struck Zworykin as characteristically of Boris. The redhead inclined his head slightly in acknowledge of the various representatives, recognizing a few from the various visits they had, had back in Abby times, and surprised them both by his calmness in the situation.

"Capitan" The voice was eerily peaceful, and more than a few were instantly reminded that this was no gullible child they were dealing with.

Cold wind stroke the train station, their coats swinging playfully with the artic breeze. Behind them, the engine of the train purred softly, cooling down. Winter had long since casted it's power over the city, snow piling everywhere. Another man stepped forward, his stride somewhat trembling, confidence faltering in front of the redhead's powerful presence.

It was as the same strange feeling of command Valkov had inspired.

"Lt. Ivanov, you are hereafter to be considered under arrest for the charges of high treason and murder in second class" The dark haired man's voice faltered twice, and Tala's lips twisted wryly in acknowledgement. He tilted his head forward slightly, still calm, still confident in his passiveness.

"I know" He didn't shrug, but the sentiment was there.

It was a silent ride to HQ.

_

* * *

_

"Kai!"

Tyson and company ran to catch up with the slate haired teen, but the door to his classroom closed behind him, the last bell ringing loudly. Frowning, and still somewhat worried, they disbanded to their own schedules, excuses ready for the most irascible teachers.

It wasn't until lunch brake that they managed to catch the dual haired teen again, leaning against the wall of the Prefect's office, arms crossed in his usual fashion. Opening his eyes as they called to him, he seemed reverted to his old standoffish persona.

"Kai! Where have you been?" Tyson's outright questioning was met with a half hearted shrug, the crimson eyes revealing nothing.

"Something came up" The tone was bored, as if nothing out of the extraordinary had happened.

"But are you alright now? You were gone for almost a week!" Hillary's concern registered somewhere in Kai's consciousness, but though he appreciated it, he shrugged it off.

"Sure, everything's fine" Delighted laugher bursted from within the office, the soft tenor of their Prefect gracing them with the rare occurrence. Kai rolled his eyes, exasperated.

"You look… tense" Rei pointed out cautionously, golden eyes worried.

"Were there any attacks while I was gone?" The swift change of topic was not missed by anyone, but they could tell it wasn't wise to push the matter.

"Not really, we did see Ozuma in the weekend though" Max scratched his chin, a clear marker he was thinking carefully "He looked angry"

"And Zeo stopped coming to school too" Kenny pointed out, slipping his glasses up in an irritated gesture "I heard some interesting rumors about the new Winter tournament though… you might want to go through them later…?" To his content, Kai nodded, ever the dutiful Capitan.

"Sure, must be good if you're so interested, Chief" The nickname made them relax, knowing Kai was good if he was in the mood to actually use Kenny's alias.

"-and you too, Miss Amaterasu!" The door next to where Kai had been posting guard opened, the voice of the Prefect stopping Tyson's next comment, as much as the person who came out of it.

Kai glared at Omikami with one of his mightiest glares, irritation flowing off him in waves. The white haired teen smiled good naturedly.

"Sorry, Mitzumasa-sama had too many questions" Then, noting the others, she bowed deeply, as proper etiquette demanded and waited for Kai to introduce them.

Knowing a trap when he saw one, the blunette mentally counted to ten in all the languages he knew. Also, knowing inevitable when he faced it, he fixed his team with the most frigid expression he could muster.

"This is Amaterasu Omikami, she's what came up" When in doubt, tell the truth. Possible one of the few, if not the only useful advice his father ever left him.

The stunned expressions were worth it, though.

_

* * *

_

_Notes on this chapter:_

_Gah! Again, I apologize for the long wait… school has been evil. But things should be less hectic for now… Now, to the actual notes:_

_The Beast-Master relationship is one of the main topics in this story. I have taken the bit beasts and turned them into some sort of alter ego of the boys, but with different stages of evolution. At the moment, and just because I haven't gotten the time to explore Tyson/Dragoon more detailed, Tala's and Anuk's is probably the deepest of them all. The stages, if you're curious, are control, telepathy, physical manifestation and elemental bound/physical manifestation of the bound. As the story goes on, more details will be shown._

_The comment Kai gives about the land reeking of Tala and Winter refers to the aura. For this particular story, and it doesn't mean that's my personal belief on the matter, I'm using the idea of Aura being somewhat a burst of energy that envelops all living beings. Tala's an empath, and a powerful one at that, so naturally his aura is considerably larger than a normal human's. Also, winter's just starting to strike Siberia and Anuk will have fun with it. Blanketing the whole area with his scent is a way to leave part of himself back, in case he doesn't come back._

_When Ian calls Omikami "Goddess of Light", he's referring to her bit beast and its element, and the pun of her name. Amaterasu Omikami is, literally, "Ever Mighty Goddess of Light and Wisdom". Actually, one of the pillars of one of Japan's religions. And yes, the pun was very well intended. And no, she doesn't have any relevance to the storyline as things stand right now._

_Tala doesn't know Fryedka isn't Itza's father. In all truth, only Spencer knows about it, and he's so damn pissed with them right now, he's not going to tell them anytime soon. Needless to say, Itza doesn't like Fryedka very much, despite the man's efforts to gain her favor._

_Finally, Tala was arrested, since as the only witness of Boris 'death' and also, his prized student, he's the main suspect for helping him scape in the first place, and until it's proven otherwise, it's believed he killed the old man on cold blood. Coming next? A long, over anxious magisterial court session. Pure fun, I tell you. And as to why Tala said he might not come back, is simply because in the remote case they can't prove his innocence, he'll most likely be sentence to death penalty._

_So, after the long rant, and the even longer wait... **REVIEW!**_


	21. Chapter Twenty One

_(A/N) Hello! I'm in the middle of my midterms here, I suck at Physics and I generally think God, or a series of Gods hate me. But I said screw it and came up with this chapter. This is quite an emotional charged one, and I'd advice you to keep your senses sharp for hints. Some answers, but as Taryn will certainly be quick to point out, more questions too. XD_

_**Note: As a writer prerogative, I'm asking a small suspension of disbelief regarding the political status of Austria within this fic. Austria is a republic in real life, but will be portrait as a monarchy in this fic, in other words, the 1920 Constitution never enter in use. Why? Because I'm the writer, damnit! Seriously, I hope no one is insulted, thank you. **_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, but I own the plot and the original characters._

* * *

_**Learning To Fly.**_

_**Chapter Twenty One, Where The Heart Is.**_

Despite what most would have expected, Tala didn't oppose in the slightless to the imprisonment. Though he did shot a few sardonic comments about the accommodations he was given, he accepted the situation with a dignified amusement that betrayed his private confidence in himself. The tall building was imposing, and with a knowing look, he understood this was the very butt of more than one joke from his former mentor.

Boris had always had a terrible sense of humor.

The room he was assigned was Spartan, and after his bag was thoroughfully searched, he was allowed some rest. A bed with barely more than a sheet for cover and a small table with a chair. There where no windows, for he knew he was in one of the many basements, but it didn't matter. They had taken the launcher and the Beyblade, but Anuk no longer resided in either, instead, they had ignored the dull blue pendant that hung from his neck, appearing to be nothing more than a chunk of fragile ice. When the door closed, the lock echoing into the night, he let himself fall on the bed, resisting the urge to snicker at it's hardness. The pendant glowed, and Winter made itself present.

"Let me sleep" The whispering became more insistent, the light a bit brighter "Tomorrow, alright?" He rolled on the bed, facing the wall and tried to curl into a little ball.

At least the cell was warm enough.

The light gave out a bright flash and suddenly there was a shuffling of paws and the scraping of the chair. Tala groaned, took a deep breath and turned. Sure enough, there was half a ton of Winter Spirit crouched in the middle of the room, the huge white wolf very uncomfortable with the situation, if the flickering of its tail was any indication. Tala glared. Anuk glared back.

"Fine" The redhead hissed, blue eyes boring deep into the beast's.

Throwing the sheet aside, he sat at the very edge of the bed, his bare feet touching the cold stone floor, and the furry head descended into his lap. He threaded his fingers through the tick white coat, evoking a soft whimper from the majestic creature. Tala sighed again.

"I know, I miss it too"

Then he said no more, concentrating on the lulling motions of his hands and the softness of the fur, until he fell into a dreamless slumber.

Outside, the blizzard grew.

* * *

Omikami smiled pleasantly at Hilary, taking a small sip of her drink as she fixed her eyes intently on her, listening closely to whatever she was saying. 

"And I mean… he's just… urg!" The dark haired girl groaned, and buried her face into her arms, pulling her legs up to her chest.

"Tyson?" The white haired girl pointed out helpfully, and received another groan in return.

They sat comfortably under one of the many trees of the backyard, the grass dried from the last tendrils of autumn, the innate chill of the last months of the year already present, but not so strong to force them indoors. Hilary was trying desperately to sew a conversation with the blue eyed girl, but it was difficult to talk about anything with her.

Her relationship with Kai had not been completely cleared, and discretion seemed to be her second name. Hilary found it infuriating than despite having every right to do so, she couldn't really dislike her, mostly because Omikami hadn't _done_ anything. She didn't flaunt her conexion with the stoic capitan, she didn't intrude into the team training sessions, she didn't even try to show them her talents at blading, despite the fact she _had_ showed Hilary her Beyblade, she made no attempt to try and show off, let alone ask a battle from the others. She was just a somewhat easy-going girl with an shy smile and a friendly disposition, who, apparently, had no bigger worries than finishing Math's homework and manage to get her hair in a semblance of order.

And while this was a completely misunderstood and false idea of what exactly Omikami was, she made no effort to correct them. In fact, she actively encouraged that perception. Kai said she was lying to herself. She always retorted, politely and quietly of course, that she wanted to be ready for anything.

"It's just… he's…" Hilary made a choking notion with her hands, garnet orbs narrowed in murderous rage.

"Not Kai?" The white haired girl asked slyly, lips twisting into a knowing smile the moment Hilary blushed in two hundred different shades of red.

_You've spent far too much time with Kai… and Ian._ Berating at herself from her lack of tact, she did notice, however, that the brunette stumbled over explanations and denials, and hid a small smile. She wasn't jealous, per se, but she did feel a slight surge of pity for her feelings, knowing she would not take it well when the engagement was inevitably announced.

"Eh, anyways" Hilary said finally, with a clear intention of changing topics "I think the guys are going to train all afternoon, so, wanna go downtown with me?"

"I'm afraid I'll decline this time" Omikami sighed slightly, shoulders dropping minutely "I have homework piling and an appointment later I need to tend to… I apologize" Bowing politely, she stood up and motioned Hilary to follow as the bell rang loudly, signaling the end of their recess time.

Ah, that was the other thing, Hilary thought darkly, despite nodding in what she hoped was an understanding gesture. Polite, impeccable, annoying as hell with her lack of motivations and ulterior motives… It drove her insane. There was not a single quirk from the white haired girl that could be enough to sustain her dislike for her. Outside the particularly strange coloring, or lack of, in her hair, there was nothing out of the extraordinary, physically speaking, in her. She was pretty in a quiet, somewhat submissive way, and Hilary knew that was the exempt of it. She was always too polite though, the years of a tight handed upbringing shining through, but unlike other girls of similar social status in the school, she didn't flaunt it, and made no move whatsoever to show off or tell others inferior.

It just wasn't _fair._

"Good Morning, Ayutne-sensei" The class chorused dully as the tall, stern looking teacher motioned them to seat.

_All I want,_ Hilary thought gloomily, garnet eyes fixed intently in the strands of white hair that fell in front of her, _is to have a sensible reason to hate her. That's all!_ Lips tightening in a spam reaction to her displeasure, she bit back a hiss. _Something beyond her being so close to Kai, of course!_ Grip tightening on the pencil, she let out a shakily breath, eyes narrowed into slits. _Then again,_ her reason voice lectured her acidly, _she's probably just a friend from all those social gatherings from when his grandfather was alive._ She let out a happy sigh. _No harm done._

"…as the example shows. So what would the answer be, given those circumstances, Miss Tatibana?"

_Yeah Right._

"Huh?" Hilary decided that wasn't exactly the most eloquent thing to say at the moment, and winced sharply under the withering glare she was submitted under.

Omikami sent her a sympathetic look as the teacher yelled at her. _Damn it!_

* * *

Bryan grunted with effort, hammering his frustration into the wood as he fixed itself in place. Though it was cold and the blizzard had just recently let out, his body was drenched in sweat from the physical exercise, the continuous effort to pour out his rage on something that was remotely positive. Hammering a bunch of nails into wood was positive enough for him, and he set to the task single-mindedly. 

"You know, I think that's already dead, no need to overkill" Receiving a piercing death glare, Lizeth shrugged, deftly throwing a thermo at the raging teen "It's cold, and you've been here for hours" _I was worried._

_Thank you._ Bryan grunted in acknowledgement of both, the said and the unsaid, grimacing slightly at the bitter taste of warm coffee and vodka, but nevertheless taking a good swallow of it. It fought the chill in his bones, which had only registered when he had stopped, and a slight, almost invisible blush crept his cheeks. He was soaked, he was cold, and damnit, he was no less angry than he had been, exactly four hours before. Cylah snorted in the back of his consciousness, but the Falcon refused to speak to him, having already stated her personal view on the situation and about his '_childish tantrum'_.

"I hate the bloody snow" _I miss him._ Bryan's voice is low and somewhat rusty, a by product of his long, stony silence.

"Want a battle?" _I know._ Lizeth gave him a half smirk, shrugging slightly from the confines of the thick jacket, her black hair covered with small snowflakes "It'll be fun" _I miss him too._

Bryan briefly wondered when they had started to walk towards the dish in the forest, then the question was forgotten as he found himself across the frozen bowl, watching as the dark eyes lighted up with the glee of a battle.

Had anyone seen them as they fought, he would have mistaken them for bitter enemies. It was raw, powerful and hateful. In two things could Bryan ever let himself go, drawing and blading, and as he commanded his most brutal attacks on the equally brutal Dragon, he felt his shoulder blades shift, the tension dissolving into a mass of exhausted quivering. Lizeth was trembling with the release of energy, her lithe frame shaking under the weight of her cloths, further covered in white flakes after the mess they made of each other. Cylah and Sherak lay in the center of the dish, forgotten, ignored in the heat of the moment.

There was a thin, long slash crossing the pale skin of the dark haired teen, nothing that would leave a scar, too thin and too slight, but it was a testament of a loss of control. She smiled even as he pulled her to him, hands guiding his head to her shoulder, until she felt the shuddering breaths against the skin of her neck.

"It'll be alright" _He'll be fine._

Bryan didn't answer, he just held her close, not wanting to let go.

* * *

The next seven days were a hell of protocols and proper etiquette that were draining and annoying, yet the redhead held against them stoically. He stood before the council more times than he was sure was healthy, and he was questioned thoroughfully, his words twisted and turned, their meaning taken apart in so many different ways it was exasperating and amusing at the same time. 

The men that sat before him were afraid of him, this Tala knew for sure.

"Late Lt. Valkov was quite taken with your progress, Lt. Ivanov. Can you tell us more about this?" The dark blue haired man at the left asked politely, his dark eyes never leaving him.

"Certainly, General" _As I have already done, sixty-seven times already._ He, most certainly, did not add, but narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, and, much to the Winter Spirit outrage, sent a nudge of fear to the expectant man. _Ha!_ "Lt. Valkov was certainly a dedicated man, sir. He looked after me as one more of his duties, and… excuse me, are you well sir?" The redhead schooled his features into a mask of polite inquiry, while he was snickering with glee inside.

The man loosened the collar of his shirt slightly, his face hollowly pale, as a sheet of cold sweat broke on his skin. _Oops, might have miscalculated…_ Anuk huffed at him, and he could just picture the enormous wolf snorting with distaste as he turned away from him, but he didn't care. By that point, he was looking for amusement at any source, and he desperately wanted to be released.

Shortly after, he was tartly inform that the final deliberation would take place, and that it had been requested for him to be away. Nodding pleasantly, he allowed himself to be head back to the small cell room that he had been assigned, and fell on the bed as soon as the door was closed and locked.

_You should not use your gift so vainly, Young One._ Tala smiled wryly, though he didn't open his eyes, he knew the Wolf had taken a physical appearance, and was taking up most of the space in the small room. _I know. I'm sorry._ There was a soft hissing of air, almost like a snort. _No, you are not._ Tala opened an eye and found the big, endless pools of silver of the Winter Spirit looking at him with a patient, knowing look. He shrugged, amused to know Mighty Anuk could deadpan as well. _Fine, I'm not. But I want this over and done with._ The Wolf allowed itself to fall to the floor, curling somewhat, so that he was one large white ball of fur, covering most of the floor in the cell. _So do I. Your distress hurts me as well._ There was silence for a long moment, the redhead sucking up comfort from the physical company of his Guardian Spirit, but his thoughts were still messed and uncertain respect many things. _I miss him._ The wolf perked up slightly, silver eyes looking up at him curiously, prompting. _I know you do. The Fire Child meant too much for you to let go yet._ If wolves could smile, the White One was certainly doing so. Tala let out a long breath. _I don't want to let go._

Suddenly he heard steps down the corridor, and Anuk disappeared into the pendant, sending a wave of warmth from it as Tala sat up. The door opened and a nervous looking soldier motioned jerkily to the corridor.

Tala followed in silence. _Then don't._ And much to his companion's irritation, a small smile graced his features as he entered the courtroom.

* * *

Omikami had asked if she could watch the afternoon practice at Tyson's house, and though Kai had accepted, she knew he was curious. With a half smile, she told him she had a feeling about it, and he let her be. The white haired girl was anything if not intuitive, and Kai had learnt well to trust her instincts. 

As it was, Tyson was rather curious and easily accepted the request, lightly teasing Kai that it was unbecoming of a Team Capitan to drag his girlfriend to practice, but a death glare made him drop the subject. He didn't know how close he had hit the mark. If Hilary was distressed by the turn of events, she didn't show it, striking a small chat with the blue eyed girl until the real battles started, and they were both drowned in the power of the exercise.

Rei battled Max fiercely, blades crashing against each other in a constant struggle for dominance. Kai made acid pointers where his well trained eyes found mistakes or flaws, while Tyson cheered at them, praising their success and hard work. Omikami watched them, and smiled slightly as she compared their differences, and saw the less obvious similitudes between the unlikely friends. Oh, Kai would certainly prefer torture than to admit it, but as with Tala, he was drawn to Tyson's natural charisma, and he found a true friend in the blunette.

"Great match Max…" Rei smiled, a white fang poking from his lip as he retrieved his blade, the blond across the dish doing the same.

"Yep, your attacks are getting awesome Rei!" The blue eyes of the half American child lighted up with glee, his own blade clutched in his hands as the treasure it was.

"I think I have the analysis ready Kai" Kenny spoke in that small, serious voice of his, smiling shyly at the team Capitan as he motioned for his laptop.

Hilary asked something to the white haired girl, but she didn't get an answer. Blue eyes fixed fiercely up at the ceiling, but when they looked up, they saw nothing. The Psychic's eyes glowed white for a second, as she spread her awareness through the house, pinpointing where the attackers were.

The Saint Shields.

The others had little time to ponder her flash of insight, as the four, well known blades sped towards them at an alarming rate, threateningly. The fight escalated, and Hilary and Kenny sought shelter inside the house, but Omikami remained in the middle of it, not really mindful of the overcharged blades and the powerful bit beasts. Her eyes watched the enemy, her senses weighting them down, considering the situation. By the time they had been chased away, she was smiling that secretive smile that made Kai nervous. Her eyes glinted with the knowledge, and she excused herself shortly afterwards, not bothering to correct their assumptions, that she had been scared. Only Kai knew the real reason behind her hasty retreat.

"They can be judged"

He continued with the training schedule for the day, despite the complains, and tried to get a grip of himself before going back home. He had the feeling he was sporting a somewhat smug expression when he left, though.

* * *

Mel dropped her school bag on the table, sliding next to Ian with an ease born from familiarity, folding her arms over the wood and resting her chin on them, bright eyes fixing on him somewhat worriedly. 

"Are you even going to tell me?" She had been thinking out loud mostly, but she fought back the need to cringe as he blinked and fix his eyes on her.

They weren't sparkling with their usual mischievousness, instead dulled by a quiet sense of worry and dread, something she could easily connect with Tala's extended, and rather unexplained, absence, but nothing else. There was acceptance there too, a quiet resignation towards things that were unfair and painful, but which simply were.

Ian smiled.

"No"

And Mel knew he wanted to cry.

* * *

Nethial Zworykin opened the cell door and peered in with an unmasked amusement; Tala was thrown carelessly in bed, watching the ceiling with a sick fascination that denoted his boredom. 

_("Where have you been?")_

"You _are_ aware you've been released, right?" The short man pointed out with a risen eyebrow, eyes fixing on the impassive redhead with mild exasperation.

_("In jail")_

"Indeed" The redhead turned, fixing those sharp eyes on him, pinning him with the strange mix of amusement and slight resentment.

_("Why? Now what did you do this time?")_

"Then why are you still here?" The amusement outgrew resentment in that look, and Zworykin felt small against this creature who was a Child, behaved as a Soldier and was wise beyond his age.

_("Because it's cold outside.")_

"Because it's cold outside" Chills ran up and down his spine, eyes widening in a way it was impossible for him not to notice.

Tala smiled, a flash of knowledge – _could that be pride?_ – and Zworykin wondered.

* * *

"Itza?" Rinny's voice echoed in the dinning room with a clear tint of sleep in it. 

The small redhead stood in the doorway to the room, clad in the flannel pajamas and carrying Mr. Pepper Breath in a lax grip of her right hand. Rubbing sleep off her eyes with the right sleeve of her shirt, the small girl padded softly to where her sister was busy writing down in the table, her shoulders tense and her grip on the pen painfully tight.

"Go to sleep Rinny, it's late" The voice was tired, and the half attempted smile didn't fool the small child. Instead, she went and climbed the seat next to her sister.

"I'm not sleepy" The child protested slightly, instead watching her sister's elegant writing.

Maritza had a stylish, very clear handwriting, something Rinny adored from her, and which, unfortunately, didn't share. Blinking back sleep, she rested her chin on her arms as the pen danced over the paper, lines forming letters, letters words, and words sentences. Itza's face was impassive, a mask of detachment present, but Rinny could feel she was upset about something, and she had a pretty good idea of what it was.

"He told me a really nice story the night of the ball" The young girl said casually, noting that the writing stopped for a second, before restarting somewhat furiously.

"He's a good storyteller" The blonde's voice was neutral, and neither bothered to point out who they were talking about "He told me stories too"

"I liked them" Rinny said simply, then looking at her sister with somewhat a light of understandment, she grinned "He promised he would tell me another one… so he must come back soon" This time, the pen stopped completely, the older girl looking down at her sister with a speculative look. Rinny shrugged "He will, he never brakes his promises" Itza smiled.

"Indeed… go to sleep Rinny, it's late"

Jumping down the chair, the redhead scurried away, the stuffed dragon trailing after her. Itza sat there in silence for a long moment, before she scanned the page and let out a soft sigh.

"Perhaps"

* * *

Zworykin slid into the seat next to the redhead in silence, noting the slumped shoulders and the generally defeated stand of the redhead. The white envelope sat before a glass of vodka, which was under the deep scrutiny of the frozen blue eyes. _So similar and yet, so different on their own…_

"You haven't opened your letter" It wasn't an elder directing himself to a Child, no, it was a man talking to an equal, since the redhead had gained that at least. There was a slow exhalation, and the blue irises flickered towards him.

"So I haven't" There was still a quivering in the voice, despite Tala's best efforts to steady it, and Zworykin felt the strange urge to hug and comfort the redhead.

"Will you?" The question rolled off casually, a true curiosity lacing it as the older man watched the young man carefully.

"Perhaps one day, when I don't feel I'm being disrespectful" The note of wistful thinking didn't scape either of them, and the old man knew that the letter would remain unread for a long while.

Tala was silent for a long moment, watching the light play across the alcohol before him, displaying faint colors in a cruel mocking of the iceland he so dearly missed. The pendant was warm against the skin of his chest, a constant reassurance, but it wasn't enough. He needed the harsh words, the sneer, the glare and the biting comments, he needed them so desperately he mocked himself with the idea of reading the damn letter, just to placate the emptiness within, if only for a moment. He knew it would fade in time, and reading what he already knew would only make him feel worse. He sighed and looked over the older man, the one person who shared a slight understandment of loss with him.

The one other person Boris Valkov ever loved and was loved by.

"What the hell am I supposed to do now?" The childish helplessness made him feel the urge to cringe, but he truly felt lost then.

Zworykin smirked, raising a glass of his own.

"Toast to the future, the unknown and the stupid bastard that got us here today" His eyes were darkened though, and Tala felt the man broadcasting a sorrow too deep for words.

"For him then" Taking his own glass, Tala smiled bitterly and after dragging down his own drink, he shuddered "Damnit, I think I might cry"

"I know" The half smirk was more comforting than anything else would be at the moment, and Tala felt himself returning the gesture "I'll miss the bloody bastard"

"So will I" Looking down at the letter once more, Tala sighed in despair "So will I"

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_Remember that it took Tala about four days to get back to Moscow from Logobo Volka, so it's almost been two weeks he has been gone._

_Tala's attitude might surprise some, but the reason for the last scene, is that not only does he know that Boris is alive, though he doesn't know where or how exactly, but he feels that he's betraying him by not only going to the will reading, but accepting the inheritance. Yes people, inheritance. Boris "bastard" Valkov left everything he owned to Tala. The little redhead is now worth a few million by his own right. Keep that in mind and the question "What the hell am I supposed to do now?" isn't so out of character, right? Also, by saying Boris loved and was loved by Zworykin is an allusion to their brother-like relationship. Bug me somewhat and I might do a small one-shot for you. That's actually one of the most solid bases of character I have for Boris…_

_The conversation in-between "( /) " is Zworykin's memory of a time he and Boris shared a room at school, more or less at the end of their teenager years. Tala's similitudes in character and attitude to Boris make Zworykin curious, and slightly afraid, as he would hate to see someone rot away the same way Boris did. Basically, he's an old man remembering past regrets._

_To **Taryn**, well, they were educated under military conduct codes, according to which, what happened in the warehouse was murder and a plot of high treason. High treason against the government is a serious affair in most countries, Russia in particular. Had Tala been convicted, he would end up receiving death penalty. They know, and even if they won't say it, they are afraid. Tala has been their support and anchor for most of their lives, having him being taken away would be a low blow for any of the boys to take, but remember this are Abbey children, they won't show they are upset outwardly. They have faith, like Kai, that he'll come out unscarred, but none would dare to voice the concern out loud, because it'd go directly against everything they have been taught in their lives. Three months in a friendly environment are not enough to deal with years of emotional scarring and brainwashing, right?_

_Also, '**Sesshy-freak**' pointed out I do too much drama and little plot. Well, as I have told her, after stripping her mail from swear words and slang which made little to no sense, this _is _a drama fic. What I want to portrait here is the humanity in characters, and how despite circumstances, things happen for a reason, and that we have to face them. I really hate clichéd romances were they declare their love for one another and then things are perfect afterwards. Real life isn't like that. In real relationships you have to fight with teeth and claws for it, you argue, you disagree, you fight and hopefully end up in midland for both. Nothing's perfect, and that's part of what I try to show here. It's not trying to keep the storyline alive by throwing random plot devices here, is how life throws unexpected shit at us and we just have to deal with it, because there's no other way. I'm sorry if this is not what some of you wanted to read, but this is, I think, what makes my story NOT a Mary-Sue one. Mary-Sues deal with angst unrealistically, and have things go their way always. Also, sorry, but if you come here and yell at me saying I'm a Mary-Sue writer and that all my characters get along with each other like dream land, please, do me the favor to actually _read _before reviewing, flaming, and _then _come and tell me I don't know what I'm doing. I hate sounding like Rowling, but who the hell told you all my Original Cast would remain alive by the end of the story? Who said people won't die? Who said people won't suffer? Things are strange, _Life _is strange like that, and that is, or at least I hope it is, the very heart of Learning to Fly._

_You may want to check my new homepage at my bio, it's my msn blog, where you can find some pics of the trip to Russia, and some of the locations for this fic, the Wiseman's Park, for instance, as well as some random thoughts and the general ramblings... I actually update there, as amazing as that might sound._

_**Review!**_


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

_(A/N) Hey people… Things here have been somewhat hectic… enough for me to start considering quitting my day job… there's just no time to do things. Anyway, to the point… Bryan & Spencer chapter! Finally, some decent character development for the bishies, wee… I know I've dragged this one out somewhat… but… oh, you read it and say._

_Also, I opened a LtF forum here, for those intelligent, lovable, great readers I have, who coincidentally are enthusiastic enough to ask for pieces of information every now and then. :CrimsonShadows: and Taryn come to mind right now. XD Come and join the discussion, things should be interesting enough…_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, but I own the plot and the original characters._

* * *

_**Learning To Fly.**_

_**Chapter Twenty Two, Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder.**_

"Why the hell you don't do this professionally?" Lizeth asked curiously as she called back her blade, checking the edges for cracks before the next round, Itza shrugged.

"Can't do two sports at the same time" The blond grinned somewhat sheepishly "Priorities, sugar, that's the key"

"Hn" Attaching the red and black blade back into the launcher, she prepared to launch again "You're weak, but only because you don't train much"

"Ha, thanks!" The blonde grinned "Three…"

"Two…"

"One… Let it rip!"

Two blades charged at each other, and almost immediately, the bulk and practiced angle made the thunder beast to fall back, a small crack appearing on the underside of the weight ring. Itza scowled at Lizeth's smirk. Sherak dodged skillfully, using the moment of inertia to further unbalance the opponent, before finishing it off with a swift hit.

All, in less than thirty seconds.

"Mmm, point proven and taken" Examining the half shattered attack ring, Itza decided it wasn't up to another round, and motioned to her black haired companion towards the school building "Time to go back, though"

"Wonderful… Math" The deadpan brought the dark haired girl a risen eyebrow and a snicker.

"As if you paid attention… you sit with Bryan remember?"

But the sardonic humor was more biting than intended, and Lizeth walked past her without comment. Itza thinned her lips and followed, the damaged attack ring crushing some more under her tight grip.

* * *

As it turned out, and much to Itza's amusement, Spencer had somehow started a friendship of sorts with Celeste. They weren't really friends, though, more like… companions. She worked as the editor of the local newspaper and needed someone with that dry of a wit to keep her readers. He was a bored teen whose best friend was apparently in the process of getting into his Capitan's pants, when that same capitan had left, and it was irking to deal with the aftermath. 

Besides, she was probably the only other person he had met, aside from Itza, that got a hold of his flirting without getting scared… or going insane.

"Evening handsome" His lips twisted into a thin smirk as the redhead waved a hand from in front of the computer, not bothering to look at him.

And who was brave enough to return it.

"Evening lovely" The quirk of his lips had waned considerably as days passed and no news on Tala were heard, but Celeste was wise enough to keep silent about it "Got something for me?"

"Mmm, a bed and some chains… ah, and there's some interesting news about the construction of a new bridge I need you to work with, but mostly, just the usual" Again, she hadn't looked at him, but she needn't to, the tone spoke volumes to him.

"What? No whipped cream for me today?" The comment earned him a flying pen hitting him in the back as he retreated to read the notes hastily thrown over the main table and he snickered.

She was also the only person who could lose to him only to get up and try once more.

"No dear, just chocolate sauce and cherries… the cream was off anyway"

As he coughed his coffee off his nose, he decided she was actually the only one who would get up, try once more and bit him for it.

He smiled.

* * *

He looked down at the busy, heavy snowed streets with a calculative glint in his eyes, a cup of coffee swirling in-between his hands. 

"You've been gone for a month, now" His lips twitched as he looked over at Zworykin, giving the old man a look of sick amusement.

"I know" Tala sighed as he took a sip of the dark liquid, feeling it fall down his throat warmly.

"The American wonder has your accounts in line, the whole BioVolt ties have been severed for good, and you've even managed to eat three meals in a row" There was a sardonic quality to his voice, and the redhead knew those were the exact same words _he_ would say if _he_ were here…

But he wasn't.

"Again, I know"

"Then why the hell are you mopping here instead of being with your family?" There was exasperation there, as if Zworykin didn't understand him… and he didn't.

_(I do not mop sir.)_

"Because I have things to set straight, sir" There was something in the eyes of the older man that was welcoming and repulsive at the same time.

Affection.

"The name's Nethial kid… call when you decide to get your ass on the move" The rough man shook his head as he turned to leave the room, pausing slightly at the door "Some of us have real lives to live, and people who care to live them with"

But he didn't want, need affection. He wanted acid remarks and sarcasm and irony and that sick sense of humor that made him laugh. He wanted that teasing banter that made him feel warm even if he was being insulted viciously. He wanted that tacit support that kept him safe and sane through all the madness that had been his life.

_(Try again in a few years Rascal, you might actually manage to brood.)_

* * *

December 5th, he had been moody all day, and no one really knew why. The only one who knew, and cared, was away and… he didn't want to think about it. 

They never celebrated birthdays. Boris thought they were a waste of time, and really, none of them really bothered with that kind of thing. Mel had been a bit put off by their lack of enthusiasm regarding Ian's, and his own had come and gone without mention. But today… today was different.

Today was December 5th.

He was lost in thought, and he didn't noticed he wasn't alone anymore until a blanket was placed on his shoulders, a familiar pair of arms wrapping around him in a gesture that spoke of inquiry.

"It's getting cold"

"I know" He swallowed as he broke their little game of silence and double meant phrases "I needed to think"

"Should…" Now she was feeling awkward. Inwardly, he grimaced "Should I go back?" Hesitation… what the hell was he doing?

"No… I mean" And it was contagious "Not if you don't want to"

The silence that stretched between them was long, and for the first time in a while, bothersome. Bryan wanted to talk about something, but he didn't know how, and Lizeth wanted to listen, but she really didn't know how to be, well, helpful.

"Wen-Lizeth…?" Now things were serious if he was using her given name, she tensed slightly and made a soft noise of acknowledgement, not quite trusting herself with words yet "Do you miss your family, sometimes?"

She had slid around until she was sitting next to him, their legs hanging from the edge of the roof. Her whole body tensed at the question though, and her eyes became hard and unapproachable… as they had been the day they had first met.

"I don't have anyone to miss" There was bitterness there, the very tip of an iceberg he wasn't sure he wanted to dwell in, but he needed someone to talk to.

Someone had to know.

"Neither do I, but I still do" He paused for a moment, his fingers digging into his pocket and touching the small treasure there "Not my parents though"

The silence stretched again, this time with a long question that Bryan wasn't sure he could answer coherently. Lizeth waited patiently, not demanding, but showing she cared enough to listen. Her answer came as a slip of paper was pressed to her hands as he jumped down to the snow covered land, two meters below them. By the time she reacted, he had disappeared, but she began to calculate the value of the paper in her hands.

She smiled.

* * *

"Natasha never thought you would be here" The soft voice caught the blond by surprise, and spluttering slightly, he turned to face the tall man "Neither did I for the matter" 

"Shame" There was a slight acid to his tone, but not directed at Fryedka "Itza hates you with so much passion it's scary"

A sigh.

"I know" Strong, muscled arms crossed over a large chest as the green eyes shadowed slightly "Philip called"

There was a weary pause, in which Spencer sat on the brick wall that surrounded Itza's house and looked at the snowed landscape for a long moment. He figured he should say something, because really, it wasn't Fryedka's fault, despite Itza's heated claims. The man wasn't evil or something. He made him feel small though, and he hated that.

"Does she know?" He didn't like the low tone his voice was having, because he had the faint suspicion he knew exactly what Philip wanted.

"Not yet" Fryedka went to lean on the wall next to him, the pale hair falling down his shoulders in a mess "I won't let him take her away again"

"You said that last time" He was being spiteful, and he knew it, but couldn't really bring himself to care "I don't want to lose my best friend again"

"She won't leave" He felt reassured by the simple statement, and hated himself for it "Natasha might though"

"Rinny will be upset" The sun was dying in the distance, the sky morphing into a canopy of purple and golden hues that made him think of her. He scowled.

"Everything will be fine" But when he turned around to retort, Frieda was already gone, and he was left with the sensation that he was missing something important.

He sighed, and kept watching a sunset filled with golden and purple hues that reminded him of things he rather forget.

* * *

"Where are we going?" 

Allan was a decent man, a bit too hyper for Tala's tastes, but he got the job done and was trustworthy. For once and, hopefully, for all, his desk was cleared of all the damned paper work that had been piling and waiting to torture him with nuisances and bothersome issues that he really didn't want to deal with. The tall, lanky American had an easy smile, a pair of light green eyes, chestnut hair and enough patience to go through said desk of horror and come out unscarred.

He was, unfortunately, frighteningly dependant on Tala's opinion, a fact the redhead didn't find all that amusing.

"I don't know about you, but _I_ am going home" Came the reply from the closet, as the redhead finished dragging all his scarce belongings and dropping them unceremoniously into the duffel bag.

"But, but… the paper work… the council… the _company_…" Also, Allan made the cutest panic attacks…

"That's why you're here right? To take care of things when I'm not around, correct?" Where the hell was his launcher? He had put it somewhere in the drawers…

"Well, yes, but-"

"I just happen to not be around a lot. There you are!" Giving a small triumphant cry, Tala extracted his beloved launcher from under a dusty jacket and settled in the bag with a bit more care "And, really Allan, you'll do well"

"But what if I don't? What if the council say something… or there's a decision to make or… or…" The American wonder, as Nethial so lovingly called him, started hyperventilating himself so much Tala faintly wondered if he was going to need a new accountant.

"You just take the decision according to your best judgment and hope for the best" Pulling the cord of the bag tightly, the redhead made a intricate knot and left it by the foot of his bed, carelessly "It's just that easy"

"But what if they don't turn out for the best? What if I make a mistake!" Pale as a sheet, the taller man leaned against the door frame, clutching his chest desperately "Oh god…"

"Look, as long as people don't die, everything's ok with me" Scratching the back of his neck, the redhead turned completely, looking at the room through narrowed eyes "Where's the damn train ticket…"

"Here" Fishing it from Tala's back pocket, the green eyed male paused on his rant for a second, before starting anew "But I mean it, I'm not good at this and I…"

They took a taxi, got on the train, and not once, did Allan stop angsting over the unknown and mentioned all possible awful outcomes to Tala's absence. He might have imagined it, but he thought he heard _alien invasion_ among the reasons he should not go back to Siberia. The redhead developed a nice technique to avoid the ramblings, and simply read his book, nodding and 'hm'ing when it was necessary, deciding there was no way to convince Allan to stop making a fuss. When they reached the station and sat on the bus, the American changed tactics. He tried, in vain, to throw responsibility at his face, and point out how irresponsible this would look and… and he had never expected the rather acid, cutting tongue that met him headfirst in his first attempt. Really, the redhead had been nice and understanding, but apparently he did have claws when someone touched a nerve.

"Oh, to hell with it, I'm getting you a cell phone" Was Allan's first expression as they reached the outskirts of Logobo Volka.

Tala chuckled.

* * *

He had seen a lot of bizarre things in his life, enough, bizarre could be his middle name, but really, this was… he couldn't really say what it was, but hell, was it much more than just bizarre. Standing against the doorframe, he let his eyes take in the scene, amusement coloring his features. 

Julia was sulking on a chair, looking down at the cup of tea before her as if it were the cause of all her misery, and perhaps it was, but she was really braking the stereotype about the happy pregnant woman. She was pregnant, sure, but she was _not_ happy. Across from her, writing something in a notebook, was a sullen looking Karen, apparently frustrated with whatever it was he was doing.

"I'm a bad person" Julia said suddenly, conviction coloring her voice, and Karen sighed, erasing something in the notes.

"No you aren't"

"You just say that because you want to get good with Sarah" A sniff and a snort in answer.

"Fine, you're a bad person"

Julia broke down crying, causing the blue haired teen to splutter as the loud wail caused Sarah to storm into the room, her pale face marred by the lack of sleep and the worries that were keeping her up.

"What the hell did you do?" The silver eyes were dull, but her voice was firm and angry, and Karen dropped his eyes to glare at the notebook before him and refused to meet his eyes.

"I'm a bad person, I am… even Karen agrees!" Julia's nerve wrecking mood swings were something out of myth, apparently, and it only served to make Sarah glare more.

"You're not a bad person Julia" The voice came from the doorway, where Tala was looking at them with a risen eyebrow.

He laughed lightly as he hugged Sarah, sent a curt nod to Karen and smiled at the teary eyed Julia, a hand lifted mid air.

"Touch my stomach and die"

* * *

As he walked the small hill towards the cabin, the redhead felt the pang of longing and the relief of being back home. The month away had fried his nerves and given him the starts of an ulcer, as well as enough melancholy to last him a few lifetimes. All he wanted now was to sit in front of the fire and simply share the same living space as his family. Opening the door, he was greeted with an scene of absolute home disaster. Bryan was lying along the couch, watching the fire, while Spencer read a book in the opposite loveseat. Ian was writing something, sitting on the floor and against the small table in the center of the living room, and Lizeth was just coming out of hers and Bryan's room. All heads turned to face him, but it was her who spoke first. 

"Red, I'm so glad you're home!" The dark eyes lighted up considerably, and he felt his stomach twitch.

"You are?" He asked tentatively, and glared as Bryan snorted.

"Mhm, it's your turn to do laundry" And she unceremoniously dropped the overflowing pile of dirty clothing on his arms, grinning.

"So much for being back home, eh?" He asked to no one in particular, but simply kicked his duffel bag into the living room and turned back into the cold outside.

He could hear them snicker inside the warm living room as he walked away. _Traitors,_ he thought sullenly, but then his mood lightened up slightly with the promise of practice in the early morning, and revenge tasted sweet on his mouth.

"It's good to be back home"

Winter, all around him, seemed to agree.

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_Finally and update, and of decent length too… Remember the time people, it took Tala another five days to reach the center… Heh. They are a warming lot, aren't they?_

_**Review!**_


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

_(A/N) I'm such a bad person! I haven't updated in such a long while, I'm really, really sorry! Don't hate me! There was school, and the play, and work, and Uruguay… God damn Uruguay. (No offence to actual Uruguayan, it's just that your country almost got me an ulcer this month). I'm really, really sorry I haven't updated!_

_This is a good chapter to make up for it. I think._

_Much Omikami/Kai stuff, though no fluff. Because you can't write fluff with those two. And yes, she's a bloody Mary-Sue in disguise. I write her like that on purpose. And she hates it something awful. XD_

_Tala/Itza, because that's fun and makes life spicy, Bryan/Lizeth in background, just because I need to clear up the mess that last chapter started. Oh, and hints of Spencer/Celeste, what exactly are you doing to that redhead, Spence?_

_Also, you finally see what animal Nyx is… and more puns on Omikami XD Read the notes in the end of chapter to figure out –why- her attack works the way it does._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, but I own the plot and the original characters._

* * *

_**Learning To Fly.**_

_**Chapter Twenty Three, Choices To Take Us There.**_

Her life had always been simple. Set goals that had to be archived, and that was it. She had to be a nice lady, and she was. Proper, polite, delicate, she knew the book by heart. She had to be a smart heir, and she was. Sharp, analytical, considerate, fair, inside out a good desktop leader. She had to be the Hiwatari wife… and that was when things got blurry.

Mostly because Hiwatari Kai was just one big pain in the neck to deal with.

Hiwatari Kai had been brought up with perfection in mind. His grades were perfect. His blading was perfect. His languages were perfect. His background was perfect. All was perfect if it was related to him.

All… but his little, somewhat clumsy wife-to-be.

And that was a problem that had to be solved, because their families had a compromise of bonding, and Hiwatari Kai could not have a Not-Perfect wife.

So little Omikami had to grow up quickly, because there were still a lot of things she was Not-Perfect at, and she had to polish those skills before the wedding when they turned eighteen.

She so she had been forced to learn English by the time she was eleven. She had learnt to cook complicated Russian things just because apparently he liked them. She had tried, and failed quite miserably, to learn Russian. She had learnt to blade just to please him.

And that was the only thing she could honestly say she had liked doing to become a less Not-Perfect wife.

Because she obtained Nyx out of the whole mess, and she learnt she _liked_ blading, and that she was good at it too. The only thing that had stop her from entering the national tournaments before was that people like her would _never_ establish relationships with, God forbid, _commoners_. Or at least her parents had always said so, but she really didn't believe them at heart.

Then again, even Beyblade had turn sour after a while. Because her parents had been murdered, and she hadn't seen it, but she had _heard_, and listen to her father reprimand her mother, because begging for one's life was uncouth, would _always_ remain in her memory as the embodiment of what all her childhood had been.

If that could be considered a childhood.

She couldn't complain, either, because she knew Tala and Bryan and Spencer and all the others back at the Abbey had, had it worse, and she had no right to complain, but it felt so… so _unfair_.

Getting kidnapped and sent to Siberia, to the cold and unforgiving snow wasteland, to _Beyblade_. And she had left Nyx behind, and all of the sudden she had been _so_ mad at Hiwatari Kai that it had scared her.

It was all his stupid fault anyway.

And she hated it that she had called out to him when Drizzar took over her, and then she hated him so much when he had crossed half the world to go and save her and that he had been there waiting for her to wake up. And how he had been his infuriating, aloof, cool, controlled, _stupid_ self about it and shrugged off the whole affair as if it had been nothing.

She _hated_ Hiwatari Kai with a passion.

She hated the way he seemed to be always in control, and that it meant, in turn, that she had to at least _pretend_ to be in control too. She hated the way he always seemed to have an answer to everything, which meant she had to become resourceful and quick-witted to at least try to keep up with him. She hated the way he could be so expressive one second and completely detached the next, and that had, had to forge her own perpetual serenity blanket, because at least she didn't have to put up with pretending to understand his mood swings. She hated how he always expected the worst, but secretly hoped for the best, and how that forced her to be an optimist, because things with him _eventually_ did go well. She hated him so fiercely, the way he was that mean with his teammates and threw their attempts at kindness and niceties back in their faces and how… how utterly _Hiwatari_ he was when he wanted to. And she absolutely hated the way he was punctual and never _ever_ forgot dates or important things.

She absolutely hated the fact he had left a neatly-wrapped book (Anthology of Romantic Poetry In XVIII Century Europe) in her nightstand because it was her birthday. She hated the almost shy look he got when he was being just Kai.

Because you couldn't really _hate_ Kai.

Kai was just a socially inept teen who couldn't really find the words to say what he felt, so he kept silent most of the time, even when people misunderstood his silence for aloofness. Kai was a really sweet guy with a penchant for jabbing his twisted, unwelcome sense of humor at the worst possible time, generally under the cover of a sarcastic or ironic remark. Also, Kai made the best half burnt, half raw hang-over/morning-after eggs one could ever hope for. Kai liked to play melancholic, soulful music with his guitar, and he really went ballistic when anyone touched it. Most of all, Kai was loyal to his teammates, and he would go to hell and back for them, and even when no one really noticed, he just tried his hardest to be the very best… for them.

So, Omikami reflected, she hated Hiwatari Kai and wanted him to die a slow, agonizingly painful death… but she adored, and loved, in a strange, twisted sense, Kai, because Kai was human and Hiwatari wasn't.

But at the very moment, she felt inclined to say she hated them both.

"_Go. Away._" Came the muffled groan from under the pillow, white wavy hair mussed up with sleep pooling everywhere, a pale, elegant hand batting away the insistent poking at her ribs.

He had the _nerve_ to snort.

"No," Damn him and his stupid, fully awake voice, a dark corner of the Psychic's mind muttered darkly, "Wake up."

"It's _early_ Kai," She whined, curling under the covers in her safe, warm cocoon of sleep. **_See, Mr. Evil, some of us normal human beings have this annoying little habit called sleep. And we get really cranky when we are rudely awoken by annoying poking idiots at high hours of the night._** She wisely decided she was far too asleep to rant out loud, instead projecting the message directly into his mind. _STOP POKING ME, DAMNIT._ He snorted again, and if the rustle of cloth was any indication, he had folded his arms over his chest and was giving her that infuriating plain look.

"Point number one, you're cranky when you wake up, regardless of the hour. Point number two, it's _not_ high hours of the night. It's six o'clock and if you don't wake up now, we'll be late for school. And point number three," And this time she could actually _hear_ the god damned sneer, "I don't want to," And he poked her ribs again.

"_ARG!_"

Covers flying in a fit of rage, Omikami knelt in bed, glaring at him for all she was worth, fists clenched tightly at her side and erratic white aura around her.

Kai merely gave a step back to avoid the flying coverlet, unimpressed.

"Breakfast will be ready in a few," And then he sauntered to the door and into the corridor as if nothing out of the extraordinary had happened.

As if she wasn't seething with _rightful_ murderous rage, or as if she hadn't had a world shaking, if brief, epiphany about their relationship. As if she weren't three seconds from using her powers on him and squishing his mind so hard it would turn into little more than purple, sticky goo.

Hiwatari Kai was a jerk.

"_Idiot!_" A shoe made a satisfying '_thud_' against the door, and she finally started to mill around, getting ready.

But Amateratsu Omikami loved him all the same.

* * *

"You have procrastinating down to an art," Spencer said dryly, lips twisted into a nasty smirk "How cute."

"You're not helping," Tala informed him tartly, sparing a death glare to the blond, who simply shrugged.

"Wasn't meaning to."

"Then go away."

"Nah, watch you get yell at will be worth a month of extra training," Almost as an after thought, the blonde added, "I will visit your grave, if that makes you feel better."

"Comforting," Tala said acidly, as he gathered his wits around him and knocked the door, "Is-"

He didn't get to finish his question as the door swung open and he was glomped by a hyper redhead child. Letting out a silent '_oof'_ as he landed undignifiedly on his ass, Tala glared at the snickering Spencer, an arm wrapping around Rinny's shoulder comfortably.

"Glad to see you too," Grinning lopsidedly as the purple eyed girl pulled back, she beamed brightly, showing off a small hole in her teeth.

"You're back! I knew you would!" Linking her arms behind her back, and balancing precariously on a foot, Rinny showed off the place were a tooth had fallen "And look!"

Tala would have answered her, had he not caught sight of the stormy look on Itza's face as she appeared by the door. He smiled weakly, and she gave him a huff before storming inside. Tala gave Rinny an absentminded pat on the head, and followed inside, ignoring Spencer's snort of amusement.

"C'mon kiddo, let's go bother Sarah."

* * *

"I don't like them, but I still think this could be solved in another way," The white haired teen folded her arms over her chest in a defensive gesture, giving Kai a doubtful look.

"Rei's Drigger has already been sealed away. Do you want to wait until Draciel or Dragoon or _Dranzer_ have been taken to try and stop them?" There was a particularly icy note to his tone, and she flinched inwardly, looking away.

"I didn't say that," She gave him a poor attempt at a dirty look, which failed miserably, and sulked somewhat, "It's unfair, that's all."

"It's what's needed to keep them away," Kai countered reasonably, "That's what matters."

"You're speaking like _him_ again," Omikami bit out somewhat resentfully before she could stop herself.

Kai opened his mouth to counter her, before he gave her his iciest glare and stormed away angrily.

Omikami sighed.

* * *

"I'm-"

He didn't finish before the hand crossed his face in a particularly vicious way. Tala hissed slightly.

"Right, I deserved that," The redhead muttered absentmindedly rubbing his cheek, as Itza glared at him icily.

"Don't _do_ that again, you hear me?" She was holding herself stiff, arms crossed tightly, but Tala felt she was crumbling and smiled faintly.

"Sorry," Going over to her, he wrapped his arms and allowed her unresisting frame to rest against him, "I know it doesn't make it up, but really, I'm sorry"

Her face pressed to the crook of his neck, she held him tightly, almost as if he would disappear with a whisper of wind, and he wondered what exactly had happened while he was gone.

* * *

She sat with them, always, feeling slightly uncomfortable by their out going nature and their good will to her. They didn't understand her, could never hope to, but they tried, nonetheless, to be polite and welcoming. She wondered if they could feel her unease when they laughed about something silly, or if they saw her smile fade when they turned away.

She had taken the habit of brushing her hair with her fingers when she was nervous, but no one noticed it, sans the fact it made the white mane look a bit smoother.

"And that's that, nice plan, eh, Omi-chan?"

Gods, she hated that nickname, but instead of glaring or snarling, as Kai or Tala would, she nodded politely, smiling gently.

"A wonderful idea, Mizu-san, he will be delighted," Her voice, soft as usual, controlled and naïve, gave the desire response and she was surrounded by the childish giggling of schoolgirls.

And she hated herself vehemently for hating _them_, because it wasn't their fault they didn't know of battle and war and death and all those horrible things she knew close up to face, but never told anyone about. After all, she _was_ the Guardian of Light, and she had to behave as such.

"It's late," A new, colder voice called over their laugher, and she knew they were staring, but she merely nodded.

"I'm sorry," And bowing to her friends – _were they friends?_ – and she stood up, gathering her school back and turning to him with a smile, "Katherine-sama won't be angry, will she?"

"Hn," He shrugged and start walking away, not waiting for her, because it'd be too obvious, but she didn't care.

Waving one last time to the small crowd, she hurried to catch up his step to her, walking down the street in silence, then, she started the ritual, talking to herself, because she knew he wasn't listening, because it was trivial, and Kai never cared about trivial things.

"Mizu's boyfriend is becoming eighteen in two weeks. She's excited," She watched from the corner of her eye as he kicked a pebble, and kept his eyes straight ahead, always looking forward, never behind, "She invited me to the party."

"We'll be eighteen in a few months," And his voice was so _hollow_ as he said it, she wondered if he felt as crushed as she was.

"Yes," Her lips twitched with irony, "I wish we wouldn't have been born the same week."

To her surprise, he stopped and turned, his own eyes unreadable for a second, before he laughed. Not his evil, maniac laughter of triumph, but a rather quiet and defeated sound.

"Yes, I wish that too," She stared for a moment, wounded in the back of her mind and feeling her heart flinch inwardly, as he retook his long strides down the lone street, and almost, almost missed the whisper, "Sometimes."

And then she smiled, and walked down with him, matching his step and wondering if she was perhaps a bit insane, for smiling in the face of arranged fate.

* * *

She sat on the roof of the snowed cabin, uncaring the wind and the cold, holding a piece of paper between her fingers, her eyes slightly glassed. The chilly breeze made quiet, peaceful sounds all around her, doing nothing but feed her wandering mind.

"Ah, so you've seen the mystery photo," The amused voice startled her slightly, but she didn't show it, instead turning to give him a half smile, "Has he told you yet?"

"No," And she offered him the paper, slightly battered but treasured nonetheless.

It was a fading image, of a very young child with pale hair and sparkling eyes, sitting on the wooden floor of an unknown room, looking up at an amused older girl, whose hair and eyes were just the same, both smiling, both laughing. He couldn't be older than six, but she seemed to be twice his age, the slightly aristocratic twist of her neck showing a very determinate personality.

"He was nine, I think," There was a slight rustle of clothing as the redhead sat next to her, eyes fixed in the distance, "When the Boss brought him to the Abbey. No one said where he came from, because no one was supposed to know, he was just a quiet, strong willed kid with almost white hair and matching eyes.

"He was, is, awfully quiet, most of the time. But I'm sure you know that. There were things, though, that stood out about him. Everyone in the Abbey is mentally disturbed somehow, but Bryan was always _absent_, as if he wasn't really there…" Tala gave her a knowing look, "More like _someone_ was missing."

"Family is not what it's chalked up to be, he knows that," From anyone else, it'd have sounded petty, but from Lizeth, it carried the bitterness of awareness, and Tala chose not to contradict her.

"Yes, but there are bonds not even blood can taint," He looked up at the sky, "The one thing Bryan has always, always put before duty has been his siblings, and he will do it until he dies."

"They're alive then."

"But he won't see them, because he doesn't want to hurt them," She gave him a strange look, and he merely shrugged, "Humans do stupid things when they try for the best."

"Will he be alright?"

"Sure," As Tala jumped down, she had the sudden urge to kick him, "He's still alive, isn't he?"

And as she watched him disappear into the forest, she wondered what game the redhead was playing at.

* * *

Tala stared at the three women blankly. The three women stared back.

"Let me get this straight," His voice was reluctant, "You want _me_ to go _uninvited_ to Karen's house, _Karen's_, to check on him, because he skipped school and work?"

That last bit had been surprising, but he figured he should have had seen it coming. While he had been away, someone had to take care of the restaurant and help Ma and Sarah around. Karen was just conveniently convinced to do the work, but the fact he was head over heels for Sarah had nothing to do with that, of course. At least he wasn't annoying to work with, Tala had concluded after his first day with him, but he definitely need an attitude adjustment.

"But, but," The glare on him tripled, "But it's _Karen_!"

"Tala…" Ma's eyes narrowed into a disapproving gesture, her lips thinning down considerably.

"Please…" Oh, Tala wanted to groan in defeat when Sarah pulled her best whipped puppy eyes, "For me?"

"…arg, fine," Sulking, he stuck his hands on his pockets, looking annoyed "But what you wanna bet he's lazing around and just making you worry in vain?"

He got out of there before Sarah could answer, because he was sure he didn't want to hear it.

* * *

"You're spinning too slow," Kai glared at her, and she took a deep breath, because she was nice and patient and calm and snapping at him to shut the hell up was not going to help.

"I'm an endurance blade, not attack. Of course I'm slower," The white haired teen said sweetly, blue eyes fixed on him impatiently as the white and blue blades in the center of the dish spined merrily, blissfully uncaring of their masters bickering.

"You can't use Dranzer's power to attack if you are spinning slower than he is," The garnet eyed teen retorted with a huff, and Omikami called back her own blade.

"Then you slow down and we take it from there!" Four hours of training had left her patience waned and snapping.

"If you weren't so damn weak!" He finally said it, and against all odds, the psychic girl stood tall, eyes narrowed and hidden behind a white haze, her aura surrounding her in anger. The blue blade landed safely into his master's hand.

"At least," She informed him icily, "I could resist temptation."

"Dranzer!"

The blue blade zoomed towards the center of the dish, where the white one crashed it head on. _Now_ Nyx was spinning at the same speed, and with roughly the same power, fed on the anger and frustration. Kai winced inwardly though, there was no way he was getting off the hook after that remark.

"Kai? Are you –" Tyson stood in the doorway to the garden of the house dumb folded, the rest of the blade breakers in a similar state.

As predicted, now that Nyx was in the same league than Dranzer, it started sucking up his energy, charging itself up into a white misty aura. Omikami's eyes were a flat, pupil less white that was quite unnerving, and Kai was snarling as his energy felt drained away.

"Nyx!" The call from the petite girl evoked a shrill cry from within the overcharged blade, as a beautiful white heron came forth.

_Well, shit,_ were Kai's eloquent thoughts as he braced himself for the upcoming mental slash.

"Judgment Hall!" At the order, the heron folded its wings protectively, calling to itself all the energy stolen and then unleashing it to the flaming blue blade with spite, as at the same time, a whip of mental power hit Kai's mind, rounding up the attack.

"Fuck!" Kai was thrown back by the hit, crashing the tree behind him with a dry thud, while Dranzer fell off the dish, his attack ring decimated by the mix of Nyx's original power and its own stolen one.

"Oh dear," The white glow dying down, Nyx still hovering above her blade as if waiting orders, Omikami gave him a very worried look, "Sorry."

And then she fell back on the ground, unconscious.

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_Ok, let's start with the mess I've made of this chapter, shall we?_

_On Omikami: She's a psychic, I've made emphasis on that, so her attacks are fueled by it. Her main attack, Judgment Hall, is a combination of her psychic abilities and Nyx talent to steal opponent's energy. In theory, the stronger the opponent, the more energy one can steal, thus stronger attack, but in reality Omikami's pretty slow with her blade, which doesn't allow her to steal from the really strong bladers. That's why Kai was pissing her off to make her work harder. The mental slash of her power unbalances the blader, thus leaving the blade guideless and vulnerable to attack. People with stronger mental shields than her power are immune to her attack, and will not fall to it that easily. Tala for his empathy, Bryan and Tyson for reason that'll be seen later, are all resistant to her psychic attack. Kai dear isn't. Ouch._

_Ah, cookie to whoever figures out what will Tala find when he goes after Karen. _That'_ll be a surprise._

_**Now, be nice, click the little purple button and review!**_


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

_(A/N) I'm not dead. The fic isn't dead. I'm just taking break from the fandom for a while, because I need to get my inspiration sources in order. But I've got plans for this fic, I have them clear and I really love it far too much to let it die. The chapter is short, probably, all the next few will be so._

_Sorry about that. As soon as I get my ass on the move, the chapters will come by more frequently and much longer._

_Anyway, to the chapter… Hope you like!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, but I own the plot and the original characters._

* * *

_**Learning To Fly.**_

_**Chapter Twenty Four, осиротевший.**_

Tala was muttering not so kind words as he drove the old truck towards Karen's house, following the sketchy instructions Sarah had given him, and replaying the conversation to try and figure out where exactly had things degenerated into him accepting the quest.

Because going to Karen's house was turning out to be nothing short of a quest. A big, pointless, boring, annoying quest.

"I need a smoke," He muttered to no one in particular, slowing down to take a rather dangerous turn in the frosted road. A few miles ahead, a little black dot appeared, "Why me, anyway? It's not like we're best friends, or friends, or civil, period."

_Because you're trustworthy._

"Anuk," There was a sound of inquiry in the back of his mind, "Kindly stop the unwanted smart ass remarks."

He _felt_ rather than heard the snort, and then, blissful silence. If you could ignore the coughing engine, of course. His mind wasn't idle though, and he kept himself going through the list of things still pending to do before Christmas break, next week. The fee to the tournament was paid, but there was the little detail he hadn't told his team about, and he was itchy about it. Then there was the restaurant, which he was seriously considering leaving, given that Karen - _fucking Karen_ - had been doing rather well, all things considered. Then there was Allan, who was slowly, but surely creating a lasting aversion to cell phones in him. Changing the ring tone daily only lessened the annoyance to a certain point. Of course, after the fiftyth call, his patience was thin, and distantly he wondered if he wasn't going to bankrupt for the phone bill alone.

After the longest twenty five minute drive of his life, he reached the house, parked infront of it and took note of the two feet of snow that were covering all entrances. The building itself was ancient. Two storyes, made of old rich wood that somehow looked elegant and decadent at the same time, three windows broken and the door looked like it hadn't been opened in at least two days, given the height of the snow.

"Well shit," He muttered as he sank into the snow. Anuk snorted again.

A cautious look sideways revealed no one in sight, and with flicker of wrist, the path to the front door cleared. Anuk gave a non commital sound and the pendant glowed slightly from under his shirt. Ignoring it, he knocked, and hearing no answer, he streatched his senses into the house. There was a tightly wound ball of anxiety, fear, confussion and so much hatred in there.

Tala frowned.

"Ruvloff?" Opening the door and sliding inside carefully, he let his eyes run around the unclean furniture and unkept floors. He flinched as his senses were whipped by the fierce anger in there, "God damn it."

Tala hated his Empathy more than anything else by that moment. Because he couldn't get mad at Karen when he _knew_ what he was feeling.

He'd been abandoned enough times already, for him not to recognize the feeling.

_Fuck._

* * *

"Damn, I liked that ring," Kai muttered disdainfully as he looked at Dranzer, a stange twist to his mouth.

"So-" Kai glared at her, and Omikami ommited the rest of the word. She had been apologising for straight five minutes, and although she was pretty sure it annoyed him, she couldn't stop.

There was also the fact she was wrapped in a blanket, curled on the couch, with a group of inquisitive blade breakers all but demanding explenations. And Kai was being a prat, _again_, and being his silent self, leaving her to deal with the team.

"Eh…" Five pairs of eyes fixed on her, the sixth in the room fixing on the interesting pattern of the wall across the room. She closed her eyes, sighed and mentally counted to ten, "Well, you caught sight of our experiment before time," Kai snorted so loud she felt the need to give him a rude glare, "So I guess I should explain?"

"Of course!" Tyson all but bellowed at her, causing Omikami to flinch as a pounding headache hit her. Kai growled lowly.

"It would be very nice of you, Amateratsu-sama," Kenny intoned politely, while Rei elbowed Tyson into silence, Max smiling behind a hand.

Hilary was looking at the white haired girl expectantly, messuredly.

"It's… I've been watching you fight the Saint Shields, and you guys, honestly and simply," She looked at them somewhat torn, _what would Tala say?_ "You suck at it." _Yeah, something like that._ Ignoring Tyson's reddening face, she shrugged, hands moving in a placatting maner, "No offence, but you've escaped almost by miracle and sheer luck every attack, and not always unscathered, have you?" She looked at Rei pointedly. He looked away.

"Nyx is a judging beast," Kai's voice finally graced the conversation, and Omikami sighed, grateful to be able to hide into the covers, "So we figured that if we could use her ability to steal energy and then use it against the opponent, it would give us an edge against them. To get Drigger back, and to get rid of them for once and for all."

"Which is not a good idea, mind you," Omikami muttered, but they heard none the less.

"It's very well thought," Rei mused, looking at the two with a curious expression, he was suddenly reevaluating everything he knew about the white haired mouse that happened to live with Kai.

"It might work," Kenny said carefully, watching the tense pulling of ropes going on in the room, while Tyson tried to put the whole thing together in his mind.

"But it's _unfair_," The white haired girl exploded, not whining, because that'd be, god forbid, _undignified,_ but certainly with enough force to show her point of view in the whole matter.

"We've been through this," Kai snarled, red eyes flashing, and suddenly the others felt intruding into something private.

"No, _you_'ve been through this," Blue eyes narrowed, and she started shaking, not sure how to release the anger she was feeling. White started to envelop her, and Kai tensed, fists clenching.

There was a minute or so of tense glaring, though in Omikami, it strangely looked more like pouting. She was the first to look away, as expected, but she was bitting her lips in anger still.

"If we can use her technique against the Saint Shields, even giving her our own energy, the back slash against them will allow Rei to retrive Drigger, and us to beat them for once and for all," The slate haired teen explained tightly, and Omikami looked away, "If she's willing to cooperate."

"By the looks of it," Kenny said after he cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Amateratsu-sama would need to work around her speed to gather enough energy for your plan to work."

There was silence for a moment. Omikami sighed, rubbing her left eye with the back of her hand, exasperated.

"I should have stayed back in Siberia," She muttered to no one in partucular, making the Blade Breakers blink, and Kai snort, "I'll do it, but it won't be pretty."

* * *

Tala grinded his teeth so hard he felt they were cracking. Karen sulked, sitting in the passanger seat of Julia's old van and miserably looking at the landscape. Both tried to ignore Tala's split lip and Karen's swollen left eye, not wanting to remember how exactly they had ended up in the truck heading to the restaurant.

"I didn't want her to know," Karen said after a long silence, glaring at the snowland passing by.

"She would have found out sooner or later," Tala replied frostily, hands tightening on the wheel, "And it would have been worse."

"He's not coming back this time," The blue haired teen admitted recentfully, and Tala bit back a wince, "He said as much."

"You're too stubborn to die," The redhead said instead, looking at the slumped teen from the corner of his eye, "'Sides, Sarah wouldn't let you."

* * *

They asked what was happening, Karen didn't lie. His father had left a few days ago, drunk to death and with little intent on returning. Sasha had gone after him, but Karen didn't know if it was to convince him to return or to go away with him. He had taken Ivan with him.

Karen was, for all intent and purposes, alone.

Tala felt a considerable amount of petty spite against him, because you couldn't _hate_ him, given he _knew_ what was going on.

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_The tittle means deserted, making an allusion to the Karen situation in which he has been deserted. Hope that made sense._

_**Review!**_


	25. Chapter Twenty Five

**Title:** Learning To Fly.

**Chapter:** XXV – Cheerful, or Not.

**Beta:** tsukikami.

**Characters/Pairings:** Demolition Boys Centric, OC and 'canon' pairings.

**Global Rating:** R.

Chapter Rating: PG-13.

**Genre:** Drama, with lines of Angst and Romance.

**Warnings:** Follows after the first season, with elements from the second and the third thrown in for spice. This story supports 'canon pairings' (I.e. Rei/Mariah, Max/Emily, Tyson/Hilary), even though it contains OC pairings.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Beyblade, but I own the plot and the original characters

**Feedback:** Very welcome, please!

**Word Count:** 4 453.

**Summary: **Trying to adjust to normal life is no easy affair. Particularly when your name is Tala Ivanov, and you tend to attract trouble above anything else.

**Author's Notes:** Bet you weren't expecting _that_ particular ping from your email, were you? The one that proves that I, indeed, am alive still. I have only one thing to say:

I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! I didn't abandon this storyline – I'd die before abandoning LtF, for its storyline and its characters are my very soul – but things came between us. Namely, school, summer, college (I'm a philosophy student now, wee!), and well, other fandoms. I'll admit it, I've been writing lots for others fandoms, FMA and the sort, but I haven't stopped writing for this. Your reviews encourage me and I still love every one of you to pieces.

I've got a new beta who's brave enough to tackle the whole fic and fix it up – really, I learned I needed to punctuate sentences between quotes _after_ I began writing this, so it's in really bad shape – and you can expect this to be presentable sometime, hopefully soon. Chapters 1 & 2 are already revised, as I upload new

Pss, like the new format? And fucking _hell_, LtF is officially over 150 000 words… how the hell have you managed to put up with me all this time?

Onto the madness!

* * *

_**Learning To Fly.**_

_**Chapter Twenty Five, Cheerful, or Not.**_

"Want a bucket?" Tala called snidely, causing Karen to snap his mouth shut and glare.

"Shut up!"

Both teenagers engaged in a fierce glaring contest, forgetting for the moment what they were supposed to be doing. Julia rolled her eyes. Really, she loved Tala, really loved him, in that scary, stalkerish fan girl way of hers that was somehow still oddly endearing, but he could be so damn _frustrating_, especially when he was in the middle of a childish grudge war with Karen. The older woman mentally counted to ten.

"Alright you two," she called out far more irritably than she had intended and effectively stopping Tala's wiseass retort. "You," Julia continued, pointing to Karen. "Ma needs help in the kitchen, scram." The blue haired teen slithered off, but not without a last resentful glare towards the redhead. "And you," her accusing finger settled on Tala, her eyes narrowing slightly, "Get a move on, this room needs to be clear before you leave, you hear?"

Tala huffed slightly, holding the broom with the same dignity a knight would have his sword. He didn't protest however, and continued sweeping the floor in earnest. Julia was intimidating when the mood was right, and he allowed himself a small smile when he spared a thought for the little spark of life already growing within her. She would be a good mother, he figured, and with the combined support of her family, that child was warranted a happy life.

Shaking his head at his own musings, he hurried along the task of making the spare room – the same one he had spent the night in, after his first meeting with Sarah – into Karen's new dwellings.

He wondered how _that_ would play out in the end.

* * *

Itza stared at the closed door, silently blaming the piece of wood for all that was wrong in the world and then some. The cabin was eerily silent, what with everyone gone on their merry ways. Ian was eating at Mel's – always an affair on itself – and Spencer had stayed behind to help Celeste with her rowdy newspaper. Tala, of course, was busy at the restaurant and even Lizeth was gone, with the excuse that the redhead needed help with whatever they had to prepare for Christmas.

Which landed her alone in the cabin, waiting patiently for her heart to stop fluttering in apprehension and her courage to gather up nicely and let her go through with her plans.

Why the hell did Bryan have to be so damn _scary_?

She had never really liked him. Just like Lizeth, she found them both too…_irking_ in their silence. Always quiet, thinking, _watching_. They didn't talk about their feelings or their wants or _anything_. They just sat back and spoke only when there was no other way around it, two looming shadows that seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

Itza blew a shaky breath and knocked on the door quickly before she could really regret it.

She had thought that after their shared experience inside the redhead's psyche they would bond, but if anything, both teens had become even more untouchable than before. Bryan always held himself with a strange dignity, tall and forbidding, his silence far louder than any screaming. And Lizeth! She was so…so _vacant_ some days! Itza wanted to strangle her; why couldn't she remove the stick from her ass and enjoy life a little? But no, of course not. Everything was seriousness and stillness when she was around. It was hard to believe someone so cold could be an elemental. A _fire_ elemental at that.

"Do you have a point, or will you just stand there wasting air?"

Yelping a bit at the sudden voice, Itza looked up to find Bryan's eyes – icy pale eyes that almost seemed white – staring down at her with a mix of boredom and annoyance. _Steady, girl, you can do this._

"Next week…" She trailed off when she saw exasperation burning in Bryan's gaze. "Tuesday's Tala's birthday," She blurted out before she could stop herself, trying hard not to fidget as a single eyebrow was raised.

_Damnit!_ She thought privately, staring at her boyfriend's best friend with some of annoyance when he remained silent.

"I, er, need your help."

Bryan shrugged and walked back into his room. With a bit of trepidation, the blonde followed him.

* * *

"There you are!"

Tala grunted something rude under his breath as he looked at the older woman with a mix of a glare and a sulk.

"Do you know what time it is?" he growled softly, blinking to clear sleep from his eyes. "This is just inhumane."

"Oh, _please_, it's December!" Krystal looked so happy; Tala had the sinking feeling he was about to experience a spontaneous cavity.

"Tell that to someone who _cares_."

"Oh, aren't you the cutest cranky thing?" she _cooed_ at him. _No one_ cooed at Tala Ivanov. Particularly if he hadn't had the ritual cup, or cups, of coffee first.

"Krystal…"

"Don't be a spoilsport! It's Christmas time!" She looked like a five year old brat trapped in the body of a woman in her late forties.

Tala was still trying to get around the fact she had been in _military service_ once.

"Eh, no." Arching an eyebrow, and resigning himself to deal with her without coffee to keep him sane, he glared. "_If_ you happen to celebrate that utter ball of _crap_, it's on December 24th, 25th if you want an extra day off work. However, since I _don't_, I'm going back to bed, thank you so much."

"Very funny dear, but no." Oh, there was the undertone of _death._ "_We_, as in _this_ family, this center, to which _you_ belong to, do." Tala had the sinking feeling he wasn't going to get any sleep soon. "And since you're one of the oldest students, _you_ are going to go and help with the deco."

"But why _me_?" He was whining. He didn't care, "I'm the _youngest_ in this cabin, make _them_ go."

"Dear," Krystal smiled patiently. "I'm not nearly suicidal enough to wake up Bryan _or_ Lizeth before ten am on a non-school day."

Tala groaned the unfairness of it all.

* * *

His left eyebrow twitched. If he was forced to hang another Christmas decoration, he was going to hurt someone. It wouldn't have been so bad, if Ma hadn't decided to go along with the whole Christmas thing as well. And Sarah, god damned Sarah who was too damn happy to notice she was making others miserable with her annoying happiness. And Karen, god damned Karen who kept sulking about work and school and cold. And Itza. God damned Itza was having a day with torturing him. She kept singing carols just to watch him seethe. What the hell was she doing at the center anyway? Didn't she have practice or family to busy herself with?

But above them all, Allan. God damn Allan and his fiftieth call.

"I don't _care_!" The redhead snapped at his cell phone, causing Ian to yelp and fall down from the portable steps onto the floor with a grunt. "Just _do_ something and get it over and done with!"

"_But… the investors said-"_

"I don't give a _damn _what they said! You go and do _something._ And if by any chance you happen to call _me_ again today, heaven help me, I _will_ kill you!"

"Well, _gee,_ Sugar," Itza said with a raised eyebrow. "You give Season's Greetings a whole new meaning."

Tala let himself fall face first into the couch.

"Kill me now, please, before my conscience begins to nag me and I'm forced to call back and apologize."

"Oh, you'll wish for death soon," Spencer said with a nasty grin, closing the door and shaking a bit of snow out of his jacket. "Just guess _who_ is going to be Satan - sorry, _Santa_ next weekend?"

"I hate you all."

The assorted teens grinned, smirked, snorted and/or pointed at the redhead as he sunk further down into the couch.

* * *

The tournament had been full of surprises.

For once, Omikami quite politely told them off and had simply refused to participate, which had sent the tension levels between her and Kai – who was probably _miffed_ that someone had _dared_ to deny his will – into something of apocalyptic proportions. And those twins… those had been scary. And the double blading technique had been hard too. Coordinating themselves to work in pairs had been terribly exasperating in ways that were too complicated to explain but which could be summarized as _annoying_.

Oh, and Zeo was a cyborg.

_Goody._

That, of course, had spurred a heated debate about the boy and his future. After the endless talks, which no one but Kai, Kenny and Omikami seemed to get straight, it was understood that in order to help the boy, they needed help. The plan to make Zeo human could work, theoretically, if they had something or someone strong enough to channel the raw power of the bit beasts. But no machine would be able to stand the brunt of it, and they didn't want to risk someone channeling all that power, because it could turn out to be lethal.

Except for…

"No."

Kai glared, eyes narrowed as he held his ground fiercely. Omikami's eyes fell on his, hard. She was not one to be up front with anything, but the matter seemed to be important to her.

"He can do it without breaking a sweat," the white haired psychic intoned as Mr. Dickenson, Zeo and the rest of the Bladebreakers fell into the background. "There's no reason why Zeo has to remain as he is now, if there's a chance to help him."

"No." The glare got fiercer, and everyone else realized this was a private war, one they had no business messing with. "He's got nothing to do with this, involving him would only complicate matters more." He sneered. "And you don't even know if he'd want to."

"Don't be dense." A few eyebrows were arched at the acidic tone coming from the white haired teen. "He, unlike you, is not a completely insensitive jerk about things. He'll come."

Kai fixed his eyes on Zeo, his piercing glare judging the smaller boy with a recalcitrant fervor. The boy recoiled slightly, but didn't dare to take his eyes away. Tyson and Max shared looks of mild confusion, while Rei narrowed his own eyes at their captain. No one but Kenny had figured out things fully, but they weren't stupid. Kai knew someone to help Zeo, question was, of course, who.

"I'll call," the dual haired teen said finally, apparently having found what he wanted in the suddenly small Zeo. "But it'll be his choice, and then yours, to cooperate."

When he walked out of the room, closing the door violently, and no one dared to go after him.

* * *

Tala snuggled against the covers, basking in the warmth and the blissful knowledge he had no reason to get out of bed. None. School was out – bless be the merciful gods – and he had cancelled 'serious' training until the harshest of the climate let off, given that it got so harsh it was hard for _him_ to waddle around, much less Beyblade. With a quiet sense of contentment, he realized what day it was and he couldn't hold back a small pang of melancholy. A full year older, but perhaps not wiser.

His birthday had never been much of a fuss. Back home, when he was little, because that wasn't how things worked, and later on, under Boris' thumb, because the older man had always had too many important things to do than marvel at the fact he had managed to survive another year. Boris hadn't ignore it though, even if he never lowered himself to such mundane things like congratulate him, but he had always been there, with a subtle remark to jolt him, too quickly gone for him to grasp it at the moment. A new book would mysteriously appear in his quarters or he would get kicked out with what he could now see as fond exasperation to do with himself as he pleased on the day.

Sighing, he missed the old bastard a little, and felt his absence from his life all too keenly, but didn't allow himself to wonder what had happened after the disaster in the warehouse. Tala knew Boris had gambled, knowing full well what was at stake, and he would admit defeat with the same coldness he would receive victory. Strangely enough, the redhead didn't regret all that had happened. Didn't regret the dark archways in the Abbey or the unfair banter he was always subjected to, being Boris' personal punch bag when things went to hell. Didn't regret his own pitiful dependant nature, the one that had forced him to see and seek solace in the cold words and biting manners of the purple haired man, to find reassurance in his harsh treatment. Didn't regret standing against him, resisting where the older man had broken, maintaining himself whole, through situations that had shattered his mentor's spirit beyond repair.

He didn't regret lying through his teeth at the tribunals, assuring the worried men that the _dangerous_ Valkov was, indeed, dead.

Tala smiled bitterly at the thought, eyes landing on a battered book resting on his night table. The cover was worn, and the edges slightly torn after years of carrying it around everywhere. Now there was a sealed letter acting as a bookmark in it, and he realized with a jolt that those were his most treasured possessions. Not even his blade, because it was just a tool. Not Anuk, because Anuk wasn't even his to begin with. Those _real_ testaments to what he'd done.

He sighed, and wondered what the next year would bring.

Winter was officially on, though, he could feel it in his veins. The sweet hum of power as Nature bent into _his_ will. Tala acknowledged the responsibility behind the power, more awed at it than anything else, and realized he wouldn't be doing any serious blading for a while. Too risky, he wouldn't want to pull a Kai in the middle of battle. He really didn't want to hurt someone over an impulse. But perhaps he would content himself with freezing the river sometime… yes, that sounded like a plan.

_When_ he deemed himself in a good enough mood to get out of bed.

* * *

Kai had dragged the conversation for two good hours, uncaring that his teammates had seen to themselves to be present for it. He sat rather comfortably on a high chair, arms folded at the kitchen bar and staring at the wall as he drawled his words through the phone, well aware of the group of teenagers _dying_ to burst into the room and demand to know what was being said. Omikami entertained them as best as she could, keeping idle conversation as they clustered in his living room.

Tala sounded exceptionally tired, but his interest had been piqued terribly by the prospect. After two half hearted attempts to divert the redhead's attention, Kai accepted the truth: Tala was going to do it, one way or another.

"You're aware your teammates, particularly your _girlfriend_, are going to kill you for this?" the red eyed teen muttered with a certain degree of amusement.

"Oh don't worry," Tala seemed to be just _grinning_ across the line. "I hear tragic deaths bode well for popularity contest. It'll just make my ass more valuable."

"Goody, _just_ what we needed, you on another ego trip," Kai snorted loudly.

Distantly, he heard Tyson shuffling his feet, resisting the urge to step into the kitchen and try to decipher the Russian being spoken. So far, Kai had skillfully avoided mentioning names, something Tala caught on to fairly quickly.

"Gotta go, I _do_ have things to do, you realize?" Graciously, the redhead ignored the huff. "Oh and Kai?"

"Hm?"

"Don't tell the brats it's me. I wanna see their faces when we get there."

"Oka- wait, _we_?" But Tala had already hung the phone and Kai was left with the distinct impression he had just enrolled in something far more complicated than attempting to restore Zeo's humanity.

He entered the living room, not bothering to hide a wince as Tyson blew.

"Well? Will he do it? Will he do it?"

In a far corner of his mind, Kai entertained the idea of a hyper-puppy-Tyson and saved the mental image for a chuckle or two later. Probably share it over to Tala. _Hm._ Shrugging indifferently to his team's nervousness, he crossed his arms over his chest.

"He'll do it," he sounded bored, tingling almost with annoyance. "He arrives on Sunday."

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at their beaming; Omikami included, and wondered momentarily if Tala had taken the task as some sort birthday gift. _Probably has, the stupid git_, Kai thought fondly, watching his team with a slight frown.

_Dear, dear, this is _so _not going to go well._

* * *

"You're plotting something."

Tala looked up to see Lizeth frowning at him. He didn't blame her, really, but he couldn't quite help the wolfish grin that tore at his features as he shrugged.

"Maybe."

The dark haired girl sat on the bed, curling around like a cat and watching him warily. She knew, from experience, that the redhead was quite the devious bastard when the mood struck him. And apparently, it had struck him hard.

"Spill it out." Tilting her head haughtily, Lizeth wondered if Tala knew he looked like a maniac when he smirked like that. He probably did.

"I invited some… guests, for after Christmas." His eyes twinkled in a way that reminded her eerily of Spencer on crack – not that she had _seen_ it, but the mental image was entertaining. "But I have to leave for the weekend, I'm dragging your recalcitrant boyfriend for the ride, too."

"You want me to do something," Lizeth blinked slowly.

"I need you to pick them up at the train station for me, amuse them for a bit, make them get used to the centre…" he smirked. "Stop Ian and Spencer from having a heart attack when they meet them."

"What are you going to do?" She frowned, Sarah had somehow convinced them to celebrate Christmas early with her back at the restaurant on Friday, and something told her the redhead didn't plan to stay over for the actual holiday on Sunday.

"Well," Tala's eyes got a bit distant. "I owe someone a favor."

"You're aware your psycho of a girlfriend is going to throw a gasket when you tell her you're leaving?" For some reason, the idea of the temperamental blonde pissed off with the redhead was first and foremost in her mind.

Lizeth really didn't mind doing Tala a favor, she owed him a few, to tell the truth, but she didn't want him to go and do something stupid. Regardless of his cleverness, she had come to discover he was quite the fool sometimes. That, and she was loathe to have to deal with the blonde.

She pursed her lips; Itza had this nasty habit of ticking her off for no apparent reason.

"Er, I'm sure she'll be fine," Tala looked sheepish. "Why, I'm sure she won't notice my absence… at all."

Silence.

"Save my hide?"

Lizeth sighed theatrically, rolling her eyes and watching the redhead through unamused dark eyes.

"I'm _not_ cleaning up your mess," she informed him tartl., "Nor I'm saving your ass if your girlfriend does decide to kill you." Tala winced. "But," and here she glared very pointedly at him. "You better know what you're doing."

Lizeth rolled her eyes when the redhead beamed at her and even allowed him to hug her for more than two seconds before she pushed him away with a snort. Sometimes, Tala was more of a child than he'd ever admit.

Smiling a bit, the black haired girl watched him walk away and wondered just _what_ he was planning now.

* * *

Bryan decided he hated planes. Hated them almost as much as they seemed to hate him. At his left, Tala snored softly, blissfully unaware of the homicidal tendencies rising within his best friend. At his right, the blasted baby continued to howl in agony. He took a moment to wonder if considering the sound of one's grinding teeth therapeutic could be counted as a sign of madness, then decided to simply not go there.

The baby was still crying.

Bryan began to count the panels in the ceiling, following each line with methodic patience that he hadn't been aware he possessed. He tried to distract himself, thinking about the others and what they were supposed to be doing, but keeping track of the time while stuck in a bloody airplane was proving to be far more difficult than expected.

Tala snorted in his sleep.

Bryan asked himself, for the umpteenth time, why the hell he was sitting in a flight to Japan at four – or seven – am, and then decided he really didn't want to get an ulcer just yet.

Dear god he was going to _kill_ Kai. And Tala. And the rest of the world, for good measure. Maybe not Lizeth, but only because she gave him chocolate and didn't bother him. But only her.

"Stop scowlin'," the redhead poked his ribs, glaring sleeping as he curled on his seat. "Sleep, you're gonna need it."

Bryan wondered _why_ the universe hated him.

* * *

_You know I'm horrible at writing things, don't you? Yeah, you do. I'm sorry I didn't wake you when we left, but I figured you were really tired from the party and all. I still can't believe you outdanced Sarah, that was quite scary, you know?_

Itza fingered the edge of the paper, shaking her head slightly. Outside, the pale rays of winter sunlight barely made things visible. It was cold, and the wind announced a storm later in the day, but there, sitting in bed, she was quite warm. She wondered how the others were faring in the basement, but considering the heater was located there, they would probably be fine. It was the knot strangled in her throat that was making her shiver.

_I know you don't understand, I hope you never understand it, how hard is to choose what to do with this. I'm not good at making good choices, you see, the 'right thing' is never what they tell you, and I seem to be incapable of doing it without fucking things up monumentally. But I think this once, just this once, I'll make my mother proud. She'd loved you, you know?_

She was _not_ going to cry. Because it was Christmas, and one wasn't supposed to cry on Christmas. Then again, people weren't supposed to leave on Christmas.

_I really wanted to spend the holidays with you and the others, I really did. And maybe this _is _the right thing, but I don't like it because it's making you cry. See? I'm selfish like that, I hate seeing you cry. I rather see you angry, screaming at me and wanting to kill me, than make you cry. But I did, anyway, didn't I?_

Itza bit the inside of her cheek and choked back a sob, snorting at herself and wondering if she was always so damn predictable.

_Are you even going to talk to me when I get back? I wish you would. Yell at me, too. I deserve it._

_Yes_, she thought hysterically, drowning in teary laughter; _you deserve to get your ass kicked because you're a bloody **stupid** idiot._

_This is really fucking up with my plans, but then again, things never go the way I want them to, do they? I invited some friends for the holiday, and what type of host they'll think I am, when I'm not even there to greet them? And I had to drag Bryan into this, because otherwise he'd flip._

She shuddered at the notion. A hysterical Bryan was not something she wanted to contemplate, but she wondered how Lizeth would take it. She probably didn't care, of course, as she wasn't the type for touchy feeling, but Itza was, and damnit, _he_ knew she was.

_I'd like to be in bed right now, musing or whatnot, but time's flowing, and if I don't go now, they'll have to wait a whole year. And who knows what'll happen in a year? Hope you can wait for me a week._

Giving in to the impulse, Itza tore the letter apart when she read the last line, allowing herself to cry and throw a tantrum, not caring one bit if it was childish and spoiled. It was so damn _unfair._

_But then again, who knows what'll happen in a week?_

* * *

"Kai."

"Hiwatari."

Kai nodded in curt greeting as Tala dropped his bag with a thud. The red eyed teen noted Bryan was grinding his teeth in aggravation, but perhaps fourteen hours of travel had been more than enough to put a dent in what little remained of his patience. The climate was harsh outside the airport's gates, but the redhead seemed quite at home with the inclement weather. _Figures_, Kai thought as he motioned to the door with his head, and turning on his heel – one day, Tala was going to figure out _how_ he manage to do that – the dual haired team Captain began walking away.

"Cheer up, Bry," Tala nudged his friend with an elbow, smirking a bit when the pale teen gurgled incoherently. "I'll get you some hot chocolate when we get there."

They followed Kai through the slight labyrinth in the parking lot, until they found Katherine, barking orders into the phone as per usual, and got into her car after dropping their bags in the back. The ride back to the house was silent, Bryan dozing on and off as they passed through the crowded streets, the late afternoon sun eclipsed by the rain of neon lights all around them. Tala flexed his fingers as he stretched his own mental blocks to the limit, but he couldn't help leaking a touch here and there, when someone became too excited with something. The curse of the holidays, he figured, that made people broadcast their emotions without knowing so.

"I told them you'd be here tomorrow," Kai caught Tala's eyes on the rear mirror, shrugging. "We'll meet at Tyson's after breakfast."

"Good," the redhead smiled, and something between excitement and malice glinted in his gaze as he turned to look at the city flashing past them. "I can hardly wait."

* * *

_Notes on this chapter:_

_For those who're too lazy to check the calendar… Tala's birthday, December 21st, was on Tuesday, while Christmas day landed on Friday._

_Let me know you're still there! Send a review, if only to rant at the lack of updates!_


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